


Jeon Wonwoo is Not a Loser

by punk_assnerd



Category: NCT (Band), SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Crossover, M/M, NO ONE JUDGE ME FOR THIS PLEASE, SVT x NCT, Sierra Burgess is a loser au, Will add tags when 2nd chapter is posted, just took the concept of giving the number, the story is different tho
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-28
Updated: 2019-04-04
Packaged: 2019-12-25 18:03:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 27,601
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18266609
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/punk_assnerd/pseuds/punk_assnerd
Summary: Wonwoo is contented with his life before. A housemate who is never home, a housemate who is always at home with his boyfriend, and a bestfriend who is annoying as hell. Tutoring sessions that helps him gain money and waste time. Everything was okay.Emphasis on /was/.OrWonwoos life starts crashing and burning all because of  one text from an unknown number.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So yeah, I wrote this last September??? Or October??? Right after I watched Sierra Burgess is a Loser and I havent posted/finished it since then. So yeah.
> 
> The plot is completely different so no one attack me please
> 
>  
> 
> Happy reading!!!!

“You look like a pair of walking chopsticks.” Wonwoo said in front of his bathroom mirror. Seeing his ribs poking out and his lanky arms dangling from his shoulders makes him think that what he’s seeing pretty much proves what he says. He laughs to himself and decided to get dressed before Jun has to use the bathroom to get ready. Jihoon would reprimand him for his crude humor and Soonyoung would give him a five minute talk about self esteem that he really does try to listen to, honestly, but he ends up zoning him out. 

  
  


Jihoon and Jun were his room mates and Soonyoung is a freeloading waste of oxygen that thinks it’s an invitation to stay at their place for twenty four hours six days a week.   
  


The other day is for dance practice.

  
  


“Wonwoo! I made pancakes!” Jihoon yelled through the door as Wonwoo was putting his pants on.

“Don’t let Soonyoung eat mine!” He yelled back as he shoved his laptop and his freshly printed paper in his backpack and grabbed his shoes on the way to their kitchen.    
  


  
They all lived in a small house right by the edge of their uni and they can scrape by just fine.    
“Hey Won! Ready for the day?” Soonyoung asks from the end of the dining table, mouth full of pancakes.    
“You don’t live here.” Wonwoo pointed out and Soonyoung just smiled at him.   
“Be nice.” Jihoon reprimanded as he came back from the direction of Jun’s room.

“I am. Do you see your boyfriend’s ass flying out of our kitchen window?” Wonwoo asked in a serious tone and Jihoon rolled his eyes and sat between Soonyoung and Wonwoo.

  
  


Wonwoo sat quietly, eating his pancakes as he scrolled through his twitter feed, ignoring Jihoon and Soonyoung being disgustingly sweet. His phone then notified him of a message from an unknown number.   
  
  


_ **Unknown Number:** _

_ Hey. _ _   
  
_

Wonwoo looked incredulously at his phone and typed back a response.   
  
_**Me:** _

_ Who is this? _ _   
_

_   
_ Wonwoo looked as the response bubble showed up and then disappear. Then show up again and disappear. * _ Great, i’m being punked on a Monday and it’s not even nine A.M.. _ * Wonwoo thought. And right when he was about to lock his screen, he saw a photo pop up on his phone and Wonwoo choked on his pancake.    
  


Looking back at his phone screen was what Wonwoo could only describe as a mix of god like bone structures and a face sculpted by Aphrodite himself. Soft and dark eyes looking up at him and that seems to match his tanned and glowing skin.    
  


  
“You alright there Won?” Jihoon asked as he poured Wonwoo a glass of water. Wonwoo quickly locked his phone and looked up at a confused looking couple and he took the water from Jihoon and downed it in one go.   
  


  
“I, uh- i just remembered that i forgot to do this one paper and it’s due in an hour.” Wonwoo then stood up and grabbed for his bag under the table.   
“I’ll meet you guys at lunch.” Wonwoo put on his shoes, grabbed for his overused hoodie and bolted out of the house.

  
  
Wonwoo took out his phone and unlocked it again. He stared at the picture and just hoped for muscle memory to get him to his classroom unbothered.

  
_ Why the hell would a guy, a good looking one at that, would ever get a hold of his phone number. _

  
His thoughts were then interrupted when someone bumped into him a bit too roughly and his phone fell from his hand.   
  


“Watch where you’re going, nerd.” Wonwoo saw the retreating form of two guys wearing varsity jackets high fiving each other. Wonwoo scoffed and bent down to pick up his phone. He knew his fair share of headassery and toxic masculinity from his years of tutoring countless jocks. But their uni has the finest collection of airheadedness paired up with glorious abs.    
  
He’s allowed to appreciate beauty, okay?

  
  


Wonwoo was a few feet away from his first lecture room when his phone notified him of a message again.

 

_ **Unknown Number:** _

_ I hope you haven’t forgotten about me yet. Hahaha =] _

 

_ Ah. _

Wonwoo thought bitterly.

_ I am being punked. _

He frowned at his phone and locked it as he went inside. 

  
  


His morning was a blur of lectures and grainy ass pictures of old Ancient greek artifacts preserved through time. Wonwoo appreciates the lesson but his mood was a bit pissy for some reason.

  
  


Well, he knows the reason. But admitting it is beneath Wonwoo.

  
  


He knows he’s not exactly the approachable type, and he has had his fair share of dates here and there, girls more than guys. He finds that girls tend to approach him first which does help Wonwoo’s case, but Wonwoo just can’t seem to keep them interested enough after the whole ‘mysterious vibe’ of his wears off for them. Guys tend to stay longer, yes, but even they get tired of Wonwoo’s detached nature. Cause sometimes he just wants to be left alone and most of his past relationships end because his partner mostly takes it personally when Wonwoo wants to be left alone.

  
  


“You look like you’re contemplating a way of burning the school down with everyone in it and then making it seem like it was someone else’s crime.” Wonwoo’s thoughts were cut off as Kun sat next to Wonwoo at the cafeteria.

Kun had been his kind of best friend since they’ve been taking almost the same classes since their freshman year.   
“Yeah,” Wonwoo replied, shaking his sudden pity party out of his system, “who should I frame? Soonyoung or Jun?” Kun laughed at that heartily and Wonwoo couldn’t help but laugh.   
“Definitely Soonyoung. Jun’s too pretty.” Kun said and Wonwoo faked a disgusted noise at him.   
“I honestly think you have this massive hard on for Jun. Like, it’s almost disgusting.” Kun looked at him in amusement, his laugh louder now.   
Wonwoo shook his head and decided to just focus on his lunch right when Kun spoke up.   
“Speaking of the devil.” Wonwoo looked up and saw Jun walking up to them with Jihoon and Soonyoung trailing behind him.    
“You were talking about me? Awwww, that’s so sweet.” Jun said in a high pitched, almost annoying voice and Wonwoo rolled his eyes.  _ *Not this again.*  _   
“But you’re the sweetest, babycakes.” Kun said in a voice Wonwoo always hated. The kind of voice people used when talking to babies. You know, _ the voice. _   
  
“Stop flirting in front of Wonwoo. You know he gets touchy about it.” Jihoon scolded the two and Soonyoung snickered.   
“I do not get touchy about it. I get annoyed by it.” Wonwoo said. “You guys wouldn’t get it.” Wonwoo said in a much more subdued voice and he could feel the shift in the mood around their table.   
“And the guy you’re texting gets it?” Jihoon asked before taking a spoonful of his food. Wonwoo choked on his food for the second time today and the everyone's eyes were on him.

“What guy? Since when did you have a guy?” Jun asked, a little too enthusiastic if you ask Wonwoo.   
“I don’t. I don’t have a guy.” Wonwoo cleared his throat and he could feel everyone’s eyes still on him.   
“So you just receive random selfies from random guys?” Jihoon asked and Wonwoo was starting to get annoyed.   
“You know what, here.” Wonwoo took his phone from his pocket and gave it to Jihoon after unlocking it and opening the message.   
It took Jihoon a few seconds to read it before passing it to Soonyoung who then gave it to Kun and Jun.   
“Damn.” Jun said, and Wonwoo could feel the everyone looking at him with something like pity. And he didn’t like it.   
“Don’t. It’s fine. Probably just one of my tutors writing my phone number in a bathroom stall somewhere.” Wonwoo said in his best ‘off handed’ voice but Jun just waved his phone in front of Wonwoo’s face.   
“He said ‘ _ I hope you haven’t forgotten about me yet’.  _ Meaning, he did meet someone and that someone gave your number instead of theirs.” Jun explained but Wonwoo couldn’t care any less about how all this started. He’s just going to pretend it never happened and be on with his life.   
“I don’t care.” Wonwoo said and he saw Jun and Kun exchange looks before Jun started typing something on his phone.   
“Hey! What the hell Jun!?” Wonwoo tried grabbing for his phone but Jun leaned back as Kun deflected Wonwoo’s hands.   
“Look,” Jun said, still typing, “you have to admit he’s cute.”    
“Honestly, he’s kinda hot.” Kun said and Wonwoo rolled his eyes.   
“Yeah? Then why don’t you text him?” Wonwoo fired back and Kun laughed.   
“Nah. Not my type.” Kun said as Jun placed Wonwoo’s phone down on the table.    
Wonwoo grabbed for his phone and saw Jun’s reply. It took him all of his will power not to strangle Jun right then and there.   


  
**_Me:_ **

_ I don’t think i can forget a face like that even if i tried. Your name tho, i need help remembering. _

 

Wonwoo stared in disbelief in at his phone then glared at Jun.   
“You are disgusting.” Wonwoo said.   
“You know this is basically catfishing right? He thinks i’m someone else?” Wonwoo said and Jun just rolled his eyes at him.   
“Well, i don’t know. Maybe just go with it for a while and then tell him ‘Ha! You’ve been punked, bitch!’.” Jun said and Wonwoo looked around the table only to see Jihoon and Soonyoung eating nonchalant and Kun nodding his head slightly.   
“It’s no harm Won.” Jihoon said, “I mean, if it all goes to shit it really isn’t your fault. You can blame the one who gave your number to him.”      
Wonwoo can’t believe what he’s hearing.   
“You all are unbelievable.” he said as he picked up his tray and headed for the trash.

“Hey! Don’t forget about the short story we have to pass in two weeks!” Wonwoo ignored Soonyoung’s yells and decided to just check on whatever he was saying for their creative writing class.  After he had dumped the remains of his lunch, he heard his phone notify him of a message and Wonwoo tensed up a bit.   
  
**Unknown Number:**

_ Hahaha smooth. Well i didn’t really give you my name since you didn’t give me yours. So why don’t you call me Minty. _

 

Wonwoo looked back at his friends on their table and then looked back down on his phone.   
  
‘Fuck _it.’_ _   
_

_   
_ _**Me:** _

_ Minty? Sounds like you’re trying to be cool in a funny way, but okay.  _

 

 

Wonwoo’s thumb hovered over the send button for a while, trying to rethink this whole situation. But then someone bumped into him which made him drop his phone. Wonwoo kneeled down to pick his phone.

 

“Oh, sorry. I didn’t see you standing still there like a complete idiot.” Wonwoo didn’t have to turn around to know who it was. It’s not like he doesn’t troment Wonwoo every time he has a chance to, really.   
Wonwoo stood up and saw Taeyong looking at him with an annoyed face while his entourage of snarky bitches stood behind him. Ten and Doyoung looking mildly entertained and severely annoyed as well, as if looking at Wonwoo actually causes them pain.   
Wonwoo was used to this, to be honest. He usually just rolls his eyes and let them walk away.   
  


So you can imagine his surprise, and everyone else in the cafeteria, when he spoke up. 

  
“Sorry, maybe your ego’s getting too big that you couldn’t see anything past it.” Wonwoo saw all three of them look at him, surprised. And he also saw everyone around them getting out there phones, not wanting to miss a fight if one ever broke out.   
  
“Excuse me?” Taeyong asked, obviously annoyed and Wonwoo couldn’t help the smile on his lips now.   
“Oh I’m sorry, i guess it’s getting too big that you can’t hear me too. Hold on.” Wonwoo heard a bunch of people react to that which gave him enough courage to take a step forward and did his best to keep his cool.   
“I SAID,” Wonwoo yelled just inches from Taeyong’s face, “THAT MAYBE YOUR EGO’S GETTING TOO BIG. I THINK IT’S GETTING IN THE WAY.”  Wonwoo then took a step back and smiled as bright as he could when he saw three completely speechless faces staring at him along with a few smiling faces all around them. He then yelled out his goodbye at his friends table, all of which were beaming at him, and then proceeded to strut out of the cafeteria.

  
  
Wonwoo felt like he was walking on fucking clouds and like he suddenly grew a foot taller. He felt so satisfied knowing he had the Taeyong and his Cheapettes rendered speechless with their mouths gaping like a bunch of fishes.    
His Monday looks a lot better now, if you ask him.   


  
He then looked at his phone to check how much time he has before he had to get to his next class and suddenly he’s not feeling so good.

 

Staring back at him now is his opened message app with Minty and a response bubble showing Minty typing something. He realized belatedly that he must have pressed send when Taeyong bumped into him earlier.

 

_**Unknown Number:**   _

_ I swear i’m cool. Like, ridiculously cool. But what do i call you?  _

 

So, the literary prodigy that Wonwoo was, his mind looped on such refined statements.   
‘Shit. Fuck.   
Fuckfuckfuck. What do i do?’   
  
But before Wonwoo could contemplate throwing his phone away or throwing himself off a bridge with his phone, he saw Minty typing again.   
  
_ **Me:** _

_ Well. i’m not cool enough for an alter ego or even a fake name. Just refer to me as Him. _

_   
_ _   
_ Wonwoo looked around and saw that he had unconsciously walked towards the park in the middle of their uni and decided to take a seat on the park bench. He saw Minty typing again and by the time he had taken a seat he had already received his reply.

 

_**Unknown Number:** _

_ Him? You mean like that weird and lowkey terrifying villain in PowerPuffGirls with red skin and crab hands? _

 

Wonwoo couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped his lips from the unexpected response. He changed his contact name to Minty before typing out his reply.   
  


_**Me:** _

_ Ah, a PPG reference and then accidentally calling me weird and lowkey terrifying? I can see you ooze coolness… really, it’s quite impressive how cool and collected you are.  _

 

Wonwoo replied and he could see the typing bubble on the lower left corner of his screen come up almost as soon as he hit send.

 

_**Minty:**   _

_ I swear i did not mean that. But the PPG reference, i did mean that. Do you think anyone not cool would openly talk about ppg? No. Only cool people can because people think everything they do is cool already.  _

 

Wonwoo scoffed at the reply and couldn’t help the smile on his face. Minty, whoever he really was, is a massive dork. A really cute and good looking dork.   
  


And if they ended up texting all throughout the day, Wonwoo doesn’t have to tell anyone. Specially not his friends.

 

\------------------------------------------

 

“Kun.” Wonwoo sat next to Kun on their Fiction101 class and Wonwoo needs to talk. Ususally he just waits till lunch or until after class when they wait for Jun in the park so they can all go to their house together. But Wonwoo is kinda freaking out.

 

Kun looked at him, kind of shocked that Wonwoo is the one talking to him during class given that he used to ignore Kun before in favor of actually listening to their professor.   
  
“What’s up?” Kun asked. Wonwoo wanted to tell him that he’s been texting minty for a week now. A whole damn week. And he is so fucking funny and sweet and just ridiculously hot. He thinks God is smiting him for being such an ass sometimes but this is just a major cosmic ‘fuck you’ from the universe.

 

But he couldnt say all that. So he just hands Kun his phone and lets Kun read all of it.   
From their Power Puff Girls conversation which lead to superpowers discussion which lead to astrology and then branched into a whole lot of topics. Wonwoo found out that Minty’s attending the uni half an hour away from theirs, and that he’s a varsity ‘but he isn’t a jock’. Then Wonwoo heard Kun kind of half gasp and half choke so he must’ve seen it already.   
  
Minty’s shirtless mirror pic that has kept Wonwoo up for two days now. Kun looked at Wonwoo with an amused smile but Wonwoo just looked at him with a somber look. Kun seems to have gotten the message when he kept on reading.    
  
Wonwoo seems to have memorised their converstaion since then.   
Him replying with a picture of two pairs chopsticks as a body and a bottle cap as the head. Minty loved it.   
Then more onto how he shouldn’t be insecure about his appearance since he’s gorgeous.   
Then Minty saying he has to confess something.   
  
_ **Minty:** _

_ look _

_ i dont want to freak you out or something _

_ but i kinda already know who you are. _

 

Which, of course, freaked Wonwoo out. He stared at his phone for maybe an hour before Minty was typing again.

 

_ **Minty:** _

_ youre kind of popular here Taeyong. And my friends compete in that Hit Me Up competition you always participate in.  _

 

Wonwoo stared at his phone in disbelief for what seems like another hour before Minty replied for the last time that night.   
_   
_ _ **Minty:** _

_ and just to be fair, my name’s Mingyu  _

 

Wonwoo then locked his phone and stared at his ceiling for hours before sleep finally took over him. 

Now Wonwoo looked at Kun as he read through their conversation with a kind of pained look on  his face. He looked up at Wonwoo and then handed his phone to him.   
  
“Well, shit.” Kun said. Wonwoo laughed quietly at how he basically summed up the whole situation in two words.   
“I know. I should’ve know that He was behind all this.” Wonwoo said and Kun looked irritated.   
“He’s such a dick.” Kun said and Wonwoo nodded. The rest of their class passed by with neither of them talking but neither of them paying attention as well.

 

It was on the way to their house when Kun spoke up again.   
“Okay. Hear me out.” Kun said as they were in front of the door.   
“I think he likes you, too.” Wonwoo choked on nothing and started coughing up.   
“Excuse me?” Wonwoo exclaimed, clearly scandalised by the ‘accusation’.   
“Oh, do shut up. You like him. It was kind of obvious. And he likes you too!”   
Kun said as Wonwoo opened the door, not wanting to hear the rest of the conversation.

“Just play it out a bit more and see where it goes. If you think it might go somewhere serious you tell him the truth, if not, well, you tell him the truth.” Kun said, following Wonwoo to his room and plopping down at the edge of Wonwoo’s bed as Wonwoo sat on his desk chair.   
“Are you hearing yourself right now?” Wonwoo asked and Kun just groaned out loud.   
“Okay, answer me this. Do you honestly not like him even a little bit?” Kun asked and Wonwoo couldn’t find the right words to answer with.   
“See. I rest my case.” Kun said, flopping down on Wonwoo’s bed again, leaving Wonwoo to his thoughts.    
  
The thing is, Wonwoo knows he liked him. Maybe not just a little bit.    
And Wonwoo would seem like he’s lying if he said its not about the looks, because that is kind of part of the reason, but it’s more than that.   
Wonwoo doesn’t know anyone who would openly tell him how small he feels looking up the stars, he doesn’t know anyone asking him if he liked the sea or the sky, he doesn’t know anyone who speaks about a sport as something you see stories in, as something like a living poetry. He doesn’t know anyone as loud and as reserved as Mingyu and he hasn’t even met Mingyu in person yet. And Mingyu may like him, yes,  but he likes him because of his personality and Taeyong’s face. So how the hell is this going to actually work.   
  
Before he could dive deeper into his thoughts he heard his phone notify him of a message and before he could take it out of his pockets Kun was already hovering behind his shoulder.

 

_ **Minty:** _

_ so _

_ yesterday went smoothly, don’t you think? Haha _

 

Kun laughed at how awkward he was and Wonwoo elbowed him in the stomach.   
  
_ **Me:** _

_ Look _

_   
_ _ Mingyu, i have something to tell you and you might hate me a lot or hate me a little. _ _   
_   


Wonwoo took a deep breath and typed in ‘I’m not who you think i am. Taeyong gave you my number and’   
Kun took his phone from his hand before he could finish his message and started making a run for the door.   
“Kun! What the hell!” Wonwoo was pounding on the door but Kun seems to be holding it still from the other side.   
“Look! You can just make him like you for you for now and admit it later!” Kun yelled out from the other side of the door and Wonwoo tried pushing harder.   
“Kun! Come on, you know that’s a stupid idea!” Wonwoo then gave the door a shove with his shoulder a few times and right before he could give it another push Kun opened the door and handed Wonwoo his phone back.   
“Sorry, but you’ve been kind of in a good mood recently and i think that’s cause of him.” Kun said as he grabbed for his bag beside Wonwoo’s bed and patted Wonwoo’s shoulder on his way out.   
“You can hate me later.” Kun said and went out of Wonwoo’s room. Wonwoo heard the soft thud of the front door closing as Kun got outside and he found himself sitting at the edge of his bed.   


  
_ **Me:** _

_ I think i kinda knew that you knew me but i just didn’t want to seem like an ass for NOT knowing you hahahah _

 

**_Mingyu:_ **

_ oh thank god. Thats okay tbh. I thought you think im a creepy stalker or something _

_ im not. I swear hahahaha _

 

Wonwoo looked around his empty bedroom and then sighed. He laid back down on his bed, his feet dangling at the edge as he typed out his reply.

  
  
_ **Me:** _

_ don’t worry, good looking stalkers are called ‘admirers’ these days so, you’re good. _

 

Wonwoo kind of felt like shit, but he can blame Kun and Taeyong later on when this shit blows up.

If it even blows up, that is.

 

\------------

 

Wonwoo was stuck in the corner of the library again, trying to study for two exams he’s going to have the following week when he hears his phone vibrate in his bag.

He dropped his pen and decided to take a five minute break from his now almost four hours of library session.   
  
_ **Mingyu:** _

_ i just realized _

_ you’re like half an hour away from me right? _

 

_**Me:** oh wow! That’s such an amazing discovery! Did you solve that one yourself? _

 

**_Mingyu:_ **

_ stop being rude _

_ anyways _

_ i kinda wanted to ask if you wanna maybe talk? _

 

Wonwoo froze. Then all of a sudden he stood up and started pacing around his table.   
He didn’t know what to say. Well, of course he wanted to say yes but he can’t. Mingyu’s asking Taeyong, not him. Fuck.

 

_**Me:** _

_ Talk? As in call? _

_   
_ _   
_ _ **Mingyu:** _

_ yeah, you know. Like an old school film where i make flirtatious comments about your voice and you blush without me seeing it and i tell you how gorgeous you look even without seeing you. _

  
  
Wonwoo silently cursed at Mingyu, who’s probably gonna cause his death by the end of the month.   
  
“Shit.” Wonwoo dialed up Kun’s number and it rang two times before he picked it up.   
  
“Hey won. What’s up?” Kun asked from the other side of the line.   
“Remember when you said i can hate you later? Well, i hate you know.”   
“What?” Kun asked. Wonwoo explained the situation, how he’s been texting Mingyu for three days straight leading up to him asking if he could call.

 

“Oh, shit. Dude. Do it!” Kun said excitedly. Wonwoo’s obviously not expecting this reaction.   
“What? Are you daft? He’s gonna know i’m not-” Wonwoo looked around to see if anyone’s near his table, “he’s gonna find out i’m not You-know-who, you idiot.” Wonwoo whisper yelled. He could hear Kun chuckle through his phone and it does not help him calm down.   
“Glad to know you’re invested into this now.” Kun said and Wonwoo’s glad it wasn’t a video call or he would never hear the end of it, seeing as he started blushing like mad.   
“Look, they talked probably not even five minutes? And it was more than a week ago so if he does notice something about your voice just make some shit up, y’know.” Kun explained. Wonwoo could see how this could work but he also could see how this could back ire and blow up in his face.

 

Kun ended the call saying he’ll pick Wonwoo up before going home with a reminder that he’s staying over later so they could study together as well. Wonwoo said his goodbye and then stared blankly at his conversation with Mingyu **.**

**  
  
** _ **Me:** _

_ Okay _

 

Wonwoo hit send and regretted it as soon as he did. ‘That sounds so cold and fucking rude. What the fucking hell Jeon Wonwoo.’ he quickly typed another message before Mingyu could finish his.

  
  
_**Me** : _

_ thats totally cool. But maybe later? I’m kind of swamped with reviewing rn. Is that okay? _

 

Wonwoo then saw how Mingyu stopped typing and then started typing again.

  
  
**_Mingyu:_ **

_ are you kidding me? Of course! Thats like, totally okay! The okayest! _

 

Wonwoo laughed at the probably intentional bad grammar and sees Mingyu typing again.

  
  
_ **Mingyu:** _

_ Please forget i ever typed and sent ‘okayest’ to you. I don’t want you to think i’m an airheaded jock. _

 

**_Me:_ **

_ bold of you to think i think about you at all. But okay :P _

 

Wonwoo smiled at his response and cringed a bit at the smiley face he added.

  
**_Mingyu:_ **

_ Youre so rude. _

_ youre lucky youre attractive. _

 

Wonwoo knows Mingyu meant it as a joke. Well, he really did meant it as a joke given that he did see Taeyong while talking with him. But Wonwoo still couldn’t ignore the light tug he felt on his heart when he read it. So he grabbed his earphones from his bag and plugged it in his phone and set a timer for when Kun would drop by. Maybe the loud beat pounding inside his ears could cover up the loud screaming of his conscience while he reviews Plato’s views and biography.

 

An hour in of trying to keep up with the names and places and dates, Wonwoo decided to take a short bathroom break before continuing his slow and agonizing torture of studying. He splashed water on his face to wake him up a little and was drying his face with a few paper towels when he heard loud ragged breathing and sniffing from one of the bathroom stalls. It isn’t uncommon for people to be breaking down here, to be honest. It is the university library, someone’s bound to break at one point. 

 

“Hey? You okay?” Wonwoo asked, wadding the paper towels into balls and putting his glasses on again. He heard him try to keep his breathing normal again and he stopped sniffing as well.   
“You know, if you’re having problems with your grades the school provides tutors for free. I’m one, actually. I mainly tutor English and Philo101.” Wonwoo spoke up again. The guy in the stall chuckled and Wonwoo was confused as to why. But when the stall door opened to reveal the guy inside, he knew why.   
“Still want to help me with my grades?” Taeyong looked at him with red and puffy eyes and chuckled again when Wonwoo’s face soured when he saw him.   
“Yeah, i didn’t think so.” Taeyong said as he splashed his face with water as well.   
  
“Actually, yeah. Are you having trouble with english?” Wonwoo said, trying to keep his face neutral.   
“Seriously? Well no fucking thanks. I don’t want pity from the university’s resident emo loner.” Taeyong retorted and Wonwoo chuckled.   
“You know i eat with three people in my table and you eat with two statues who need major attitude adjustments, right?” Wonwoo said and Taeyong rolled his eyes.    
“Whatever R2D2.” Wonwoo rolled his eyes and was about to leave when he spoke up again.   
“Actually it’s C-3PO.” Taeyong gave him a confused, somewhat annoyed glared. “What?”

“R2D2 is the small robot that looks like a bucket. Youre thinking of C-3PO, the gold robot in Starwars?” Wonwoo couldn’t help the smirk in his lips when Taeyong just rolled his bloodshot eyes at him.    
“And i know you’ve been giving my number away to people.” Wonwoo said. Taeyong looked at him through the mirror and smirked.   
“Yeah, well, given that they’re not on my level and you’re in dire need of someone to-” “Oh for fucks sake. Just cut the crap, princess. Do you want my help or not?” Wonwoo asked, clearly done with Taeyong’s attitude for the day. Taeyong looked unsure of what to say and Wonwoo rolled his eyes.   
“I’ll take that as a yes. Just text me when you’re free, you apparently already have my number.” Wonwoo then grabbed a couple of tissue paper and handed them over to Taeyong who reluctantly took them. With that Wonwoo stalked out of the bathroom and slumped back on his chair. Now he was left with at least 58 more pages of readings to go over and an unanswered question of ‘what the hell just happened’?

  
  


The night went on accordingly, Kun passing by Wonwoo in the library with a duffel bag half filled with clothes and half with food that Jihoon won’t allow in the threshold of his holy kitchen (meaning anything that has MSG, artificial color, and flavor, if you ask Kun) and his backpack with his notes and laptop inside.   
  
They got home right when Soonyoung was finishing setting the table up and Jihoon coming in from the kitchen carrying a casserole half his size and placing it in the middle of the table.   
  
“You sure you have enough to feed the whole block?” Wonwoo asked as he dropped his bag by the door.   
“I made a lot since you two will be studying and you might want to eat later. And we can always leave the leftovers in the fridge and heat it up for tomorrow.” Jihoon explained. Untying his apron and sitting down next to Soonyoung who was already putting a portion of food onto Jihoon’s plate.   
“Is that pasta?” Kun asked, not bothering to hide the fact that he’s literally drooling at the sight.   
“Yeah, it’s Jihoonie’s famous meaty macaroni.” Soonyoung said as he placed a mountain of pasta on his plate.   
“And Jun?” Wonwoo asked. Kun was already lifting his plate up for Soonyoung to give him food when Jihoon answered.   
“You know, partying somewhere.” Jihoon said offhandedly, “I told him to call if he was going to stay there overnight.” Wonwoo hummed in response and they ate their food with light conversation floating in the air. Wonwoo can’t help but let his eyes linger at the way Soonyoung’s brushing the stray sauce at the edge of Jihoon’s lips and feeling something tug at his heart.   
He cleared his throat and stood up. “We’ll be in my room then. You know, studying.” He picked up his plate and Soonyoung voiced out that he’ll handle them after he ate and Wonwoo thanked him.   
Wonwoo saw Kun with his plate still half full and chuckled.    
“Feel free to join me any time this night.” Wonwoo said and Kun had voiced out how he should appreciate dorm-mates, or rather housemates, who cooks delicious food for him. Wonwoo laughed at him and made his way to his room with his bag in his hand. He then felt his phone vibrate in his bag right when he was in front of his bed and saw that he had a message from Mingyu.   
  


 

**_Mingyu:_ **

_ are you doing anything? _

  
  
Wonwoo replied with a ‘ _ Not at the moment, why?’. _ He waited for Mingyu to start typing his response when all of a sudden Mingyu’s face was flashing on Wonwoo’s phone telling him that the other was calling him.   
Wonwoo freaked out and threw his phone in his bed, hovering over it, pacing back and forth, then he suddenly grabbed for it and answered. He didn’t know what to say and panicked. But before he could say anything stupid, Mingyu beat him to it.   
  
“Bonjour monsieur.” Wonwoo was taken aback by the sudden french but then replied with a    
“Bonjour monsieur? Uh,  Comment se passe ta journée ?” Wonwoo asked back, trying to see if his french class back in high school won’t fail him now. A beat passed and    
“Okay, i honestly do not know how to speak french, i panicked and my mind went straight to ‘what’s the stupidest thing we could do tonight’ and it just did it.” Mingyu said, a bit out of breath. Wonwoo laughed and heard the other chuckle a bit too.   
“Well, it’s not the stupidest thing you could’ve said. I mean, i was planning on speaking klingon to you. Can you imagine that?” Wonwoo responded and he heard laughter from the other line.   
  


If you ask Wonwoo about Mingyu’s voice and ask him to explain what it’s like, he’d tell you it’s like the strongest tea he’s ever had.   
His voice was so full and alive and just so warm and yet it’s also so smooth and calm. Wonwoo can record him reading out the newspaper and he’d be thrilled.   
  
“Oh and your voice kinda sounds different? Kind of bigger?” Mingyu inquired, Wonwoo panicked for a second before he came up with a comeback to divert Mingyu’s attention.   
“Are you calling my voice fat now? Is that it? Wow, resident cool guy really on the roll tonight, huh?” Wonwoo said in a fake-serious voice and he could hear Mingyu’s nervous laughter from his phone.    
“No no no no no. that is so not what i meant, you have got to believe me.” Mingyu laughs. “I just meant, it’s kind of, uhm deeper, more fuller in a way.” Wonwoo took a deep breath to compose himself and replied.   
“Yeah, uhm. I have this cold, i think. It’s making me sound weird.” Wonwoo laughed nervously at that and Mingyu laughed along.   
“Yeah, no. its fine. Don’t take this the wrong way but i kinda wish you were sick more often. I kinda like how you sound now.” Wonwoo took a shaky breath at that and he hears himself thank Mingyu quietly.    
Mingyu then redirected the conversation to a string of random questions as if they were playing twenty questions.

From favorite food to worst restaurant.

“Oh god, we went to this one burger joint a few months ago and the meat were raw. Like an actual frozen patty was on my plate in between two buns, slathered up in ketchup.” Mingyu said in a slightly exaggerated voice and Wonwoo laughed.   
“Not a good enough reason to use slathered, but okay.” Wonwoo said.

To favorite colors and what type of flowers they would be.   
“I have never met anyone who doesn’t have a favorite color.” Mingyu said in a fake disappointed voice.   
“Well, i’ve never met anyone who answers ‘cactus’ as a favorite flower!” Wonwoo fired back and Mingyu laughs.   
“Well, what about you, oh so great florist, what’s your favorite?” Mingyu asked   
“Favorite flower?” Wonwoo thought for a while.    
“Do you know stargazer lilies?” Wonwoo asks but Mingyu said he doesn’t.   
“Well, yeah. They’re my favorite flower.” Wonwoo answers in a small voice.   
“Really? I thought you’d be more of a sunflower kinda guy.” Mingyu said.   
“I think you’re the sunflower guy here. Given how tall you are and your skin.” Wonwoo said. Mingyu said a quiet, almost dejected “Oh.” afterwards and Wonwoo realised belatedly how that sounded.   
“I meant that as a compliment. I love your tan skin.” Wonwoo realized how that sounded and tried saving himself from embarrassment.   
“I mean, it suits you.” Wonwoo added. 

Mingyu thanked him and Wonwoo asked him another round of random questions until they ended up with the topic of sports.   
  
“I love sports, i really do, but the last time I participated in anything that required physical effort i almost fainted.” Wonwoo joked and Mingyu laughed along.   
“Well you don’t look that winded when you’re performing.” Mingyu inquired and Wonwoo panics and asked a question instead.   
“What about you though? Why football?” Wonwoo asked.   
“You know my reason already, come on.” Mingyu said, sounding a bit flustered by the topic.   
“Yeah but that was through text, i wanna hear you talk about it.” Mingyu then cleared his throat.   
“Well i started liking it because of my dad, he’s the coach of the high school i attended and he would always bring me to practice when i was young so i kinda just fell into it i guess. But playing it then, with my friends and teammates, it’s like we were, uhm i don’t know if you’ve ever been on a school play before but that's what it’s like for me. Like i have this one teammate who’s really quiet and timid but in the field you could hear his screams from the other side of the field. And another who always trips on his feet while walking who turns into this fucking cheetah who leaps over everyone coming at him. It’s like, being in the team, wearing those uniform, we can be someone else other than our everyday self. Someone louder, faster, someone better. Like playing dress up and being your alter ego. Your own superhero, you know?” Mingyu finished. Wonwoo was at a loss for words with how Mingyu has just explained all that, he didn’t know he felt like that towards a sport.   
“But, you know, i can’t say this to my teammates now. I’m the quarterback, you know. I have to earn their trust even though i really wouldn’t call half of the team as my friends.”   
“But what about you?” Wonwoo asked.    
“What about me?” Mingyu asked back. “I just told you-” “No, what i mean is. What about your alter ego? Who do you become when you’re in the field?” Wonwoo asked. Mingyu didn’t respond immediately.   
“I like to think that i become the guy everyone wants me to be.” Mingyu said. Wonwoo humms in response.    
“No offense to alter ego Mingyu, but i kinda like dorky, fake-french Mingyu better.” Wonwoo said. He hears Mingyu laughs and he couldn’t help feeling satisfied for making him laugh.   
“Well, no offense to performer Taeyong, but i kinda like mean, witty Taeyong more.” Mingyu said in a soft voice and Wonwoo felt his heart drop.   
“Right.” Wonwoo chuckled half heartedly. “I should get back to studying.” Wonwoo said, looking at the clock and seeing that they’ve been talking for almost three hours. He then started wondering about Kun.   
“Oh, okay. Good night then.” Mingyu said, sounding a little bit disappointed.   
Wonwoo said his good bye but before he could end the call he heard Mingyu calling out to him.   
“What is it?” Wonwoo asked and he hears Mingyu take a deep breath.   
“Can i call again tomorrow?” Mingyu asked and Wonwoo can’t help but smile at how nervous he seems.   
“No.” Wonwoo deadpans.   
“What? No? Wait why did i-” “No Mingyu. You can’t call. I’ll call you. Okay?” Wonwoo cut him off before he started freaking out over phone.   
“Oh, uh. Okay. Goodnight again.” Mingyu said. Wonwoo said his goodbye again and ended the call.   
  
He then got up and went out of his room.   
“Kun?” He called out.

“Oh, finally. You done with your late night phone date?” Kun asked from the dining room table. He had his books sprawled all over the table with his reading glasses on and a blanket over his shoulder.   
“Jihoon was nice enough to actually keep your guest entertained.” Kun said in a fake annoyed voice and Wonwoo just rolls his eyes.   
“Stop being dramatic and get in here. And you stopped being a  _ guest _ months ago.” Wonwoo said.   
“I’m rather comfortable in my seat here, thank you very much.” Kun said, his chin up and looking at his notebook that was in his hand rather than at Wonwoo.   
Wonwoo sighed and thought of something to maybe jar Kun off his stance.

Wonwoo leaned on the hallway wall and took a deep breath.   
“I think i like him.” Wonwoo said. Kun looked up so fast at Wonwoo that his glasses slipped down his nose a bit.   
“You think you like- you mean Him? Mingyu?” Kun said in a hushed voice as he put down his notebook.   
“Yeah. Fuck, I have no idea what i got myself into.” Wonwoo said as he pressed his hand over his face out of frustration.   
“Hey, hey. It’s alright. It’s alright.” Kun stood up now and went to Wonwoo’s side.   
“Come on, let’s talk about this while i heat up some food.” Kun suggested and Wonwoo looked at him incredulously given that they just ate a couple of hours ago.

“Look,” Kun said as he brought the casserole out from the fridge, “you can judge me all you want but it won’t make this taste any less better than it is.” Kun said and Wonwoo shrugged as he grabbed for a bag of crisps in Kun’s bag.   
  
“This is going to be a long night.” Kun said as he set the timer for the microwave and sat on the counter as Wonwoo told him about his conversation with Mingyu with a bright smile and a light dust of pink in his cheeks that Kun didn’t bother pointing out.

  
\-------------

 

Wonwoo looks down at the address on his phone and looks back up on the loud, unkempt and massive house that seems to be glaring back at him.

  
“This is…” his phone then gave off a loud ding and he saw a new message from Taeyong, which he saved the contact as “Voldy”.

 

**_Voldy:_ **

_ If you’re done standing there like an idiot, you can come in. _ _   
  
_

Wonwoo looked up and saw Taeyong looking at him distastefully from the second floor window. Wonwoo took a deep breath and strode forward. He was one step away from taking hold of the door knob when the door flung open revealing three smiling faces beaming up at him.   
  
“Hey. Are you Taeyong’s friend?” The one in the middle asked, he had a bright smile and the most comic eye smile Wonwoo has ever seen.   
“Are you his boyfriend?” the one holding the door asked, his skin was a bit more tanned than the other two and his voice was kinda high pitch.   
“Maybe he’s the food delivery guy?” the last one asked, he was clinging onto the one in the middle with a bright smile and he was looking over Wonwoo’s shoulder to maybe see if he has the food on a motorcycle of a car.

“He’s none of those things.” Taeyong spoke up from the behind them and the three younger guys ran inside, three pairs of feet thudding on the staircase as they ran upstairs.   
“Jeno! I told you to keep an eye on them! And where’s Renjun?!”    
“Renjun’s studying!” One of them yelled back and Taeyong pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath.   
“Then go and study as well!” Taeyong yelled back and Wonwoo felt awkward standing in the middle of their porch, shuffling his bag on his shoulder.   
“Come on.” Taeyong said as he made his way up the stairs, Wonwoo trudged on behind him and looked at the arrays of picture frames hung up on the walls on the stairs. A few solo portraits of young boys, a few group shots of them as well, and then Wonwoo saw what seems like a family portrait of some sort but they were all guys that looked almost the same ages and then four younger ones, three of which he just met. Wonwoo also saw a bunch of picture frames that were scattered all over the place as they made their way on a narrow hallway. There was an open door to Wonwoo’s right and as they passed by and he saw a glimpse of four younger guys, three of which he has just seen, all cramped up on the bottom of a bunk bed with notes and books scattered all over the room.    
“Renjun, please keep them on a leash.” Taeyong said as they passed by. One of them waved at Wonwoo and the rest looked up as Wonwoo gave a small wave back.   
“Come on.” Taeyong said as he opened the door to the right at the end of the hall.   
  
Wonwoo looked around from the doorway and, for lack of better word for it, thinks it looks so Taeyong. The walls were a bare white save for the deep blue wall facing them, where the head of his bed was pushed to the edge. There was a vanity mirror desk at the right and two shelves, almost up to Wonwoo’s shoulders, on each side of it filled with trophies and awards. The half of the right wall covered up with a bunch of polaroids of random people Wonwoo can’t see clearly. Right beside the door was a closet big enough to fit at least five Wonwoo’s with enough space to awkwardly dance.

  
“You done gawking yet?” Taeyong said as he sat down on his bed. Wonwoo rolled his eyes and set his bag down in the middle of the bed.

“Well. You said you needed help in Philosophy, right?” Wonwoo asked and Taeyong groaned.   
“Yes.” Taeyong answered as bland and cold as he could.   
“Okay,” Wonwoo knelt down and brought out his handouts for last year. “First thing’s first. Drop the fucking attitude. You can glare at me all you want on school ground and embarrass me in front of as many people as you want, but you need to drop the attitude if you want me to teach you shit.” Wonwoo said in an exasperated tone and he saw Taeyong heaved a deep breath.   
“Fine.” Taeyong said as he grabbed two pillows and threw them down on the floor beside Wonwoo.   
“So let’s start with the basics of philosophy. The term was coined from two greek words, Philia and sophia, which means love and wisdom. So philosophers are basically lovers of wisdom. And the-” Wonwoo was cut off when Taeyong raised his hand in an exaggerated manner which has Wonwoo almost rolling his eyes.   
“Can we speed this up a bit? I have to practice in like, an hour.” Taeyong said as he checked his watch. Wonwoo looked at him for a second and sighed.  _ ‘What have i gotten myself into?’,  _ Wonwoo thought. He took a deep breath and asked Taeyong for his notes so he can just focus on their syllabus and to his surprise, he found Taeyong’s notes so, well, so organized.   
“These are amazing. You took these down?” Wonwoo asked. Taeyong nodded and lied down on the carpeted floor as Wonwoo looked through his notes.   
“Unlike most people think, i do study. I do my best to at least get a C, B if i like the subject.” He looked at Wonwoo as Wonwoo lanced at him and said in the most tired voice Wonwoo has heard him use.   
“Why do you think i was bawling my eyes out at the library? This shit confuses the fuck out of me and you can help me-” “You were crying?” A voice in the doorway cut Taeyong off and Wonwoo saw Taeyong stood up quickly.   
“What? No!” Taeyong said, laughing nervously as he approached the door.    
“I was just… you know. It was just a-” “He was exaggerating.” Wonwoo cut Taeyong off before he ends up saying something stupid. “He was just really frustrated with the lesson so i offered to help.” he finished. The guy in the doorway couldn’t have been any older that the ones he saw earlier and Wonwoo saw him smile at him, as if relieved by what Wonwoo said.   
“Thank you, uh…”   
“Wonwoo. I’m Wonwoo.” Wonwoo offered.   
“Thank you Wonwoo. I’m Mark.” Wonwoo welcomed him and then busied himself with reading Taeyong’s notes.   
“It’s fine, Mark. He’s just a classmate, honest.” Taeyong said in a sort of sweet voice Wonwoo is not familiar with.   
“Fine. I’ll just go order some food, you guys want anything?” Mark asked and Wonwoo smiled up at him and shook his head no.   
“ No thanks.” Wonwoo said at the same time Taeyong said they won’t be staying long.   
“Ok. Nice meeting you Wonwoo.” Mark said as Taeyong closed the door.   
Wonwoo caught Taeyong’s eyes by accident and he hurriedly looked down at Taeyong’s notes again.   
“Well, this can help a lot. I can just make a few flashcards for you with these and then i can help you go over them over and over until you get them.” Wonwoo said as he flipped through the notebook in his hand.   
“Okay.” Taeyong said as he took a seat in front of Wonwoo.   
“Also,” Wonwoo looked up at Taeyong and Taeyong seems to be looking at everywhere but him. “You can’t tell anyone about this.” Wonwoo laughed quietly at that and nodded his head.   
“Not like anyone would believe me if i did, but okay.” Wonwoo said and he saw Taeyong smile a bit at that. And just like that Wonwoo began reviewing Taeyong of the principles of philosophy which he seems to have no knowledge of whatsoever. An hour passed and Wonwoo reminded Taeyong of the time but the other just waved him off as he focused on the part of the handout that Wonwoo had highlighted for him. Mark, along with another guy who Wonwoo found out to be Jaemin, ended up bringing them burgers and fries with two cups of coke from McDonalds after another hour passed by and Wonwoo thanked them as Taeyong kept on reading the notes Wonwoo added on his notes but now using a red ink pen so as to not confuse Taeyong.   
They went on like that for another half hour and when Wonwoo stood up to say that he has to leave, Taeyong stood up and guided him out the door.   
Wonwoo felt his phone vibrate on his pocket at the same time he heard someone call out his name. He half thought it was Taeyong, but turning around, he saw Taeyong looking up at the second floor window and saw Mark, Jaemin, and the rest waving at him as he made his way out. Taeyong scolded them as he got inside and Wonwoo laughed at the sight.   
  
He looked at his phone and saw that he has five messages and two missed calls, all from Mingyu.   
He blushed at the thought and then he realized belatedly that he was supposed to call Mingyu tonight.   
“Shit.” Wonwoo muttered as he quickly dialed up Mingyu’s number.   
It rang twice before Wonwoo was answered by silence. It took him a second to realize what Mingyu was doing and he laughed quietly at the childishness of it all.   
  
“The silent treatment? Really?” Wonwoo asked, laughing. But he heard nothing back but silence and he was starting to feel slightly guilty now.   
“Okay. I’m sorry i forgot to tell you i have a, uh- i had to practice today.” Wonwoo said, laughing nervously afterwards.   
“If i were talking to you right now, i’d say you could’ve at least texted.” Mingyu said a little sullenly. Wonwoo couldn’t help the smile on his face as he kept walking home.   
“Well it’s a good thing you aren’t talking to me then. Cause i really am sorry for forgetting. I just forgot for some reason.” Wonwoo said. He heard Mingyu sighed.   
“Well, what am i gonna do? Say no? Fine. But you owe me.” Mingyu demanded and Wonwoo laughed quietly.   
“Okay. Okay. What if i call you for the rest of the week? That good enough for you?” Wonwoo suggested.   
“Actually, i was thinking more of, maybe you wanna facetime? Like video call?” Mingyu asked. Wonwoo stopped dead on his tracks and didn’t know what to do.   
“Uhm..” “I mean, only if you want to. Hahahaha. I don’t want to force you to like, look at my face while we talk.” Mingyu said, sounding nervous as he spoke.   
“Yeah! Yeah. i mean, why the hell should i say no right?” Wonwoo laughed nervously again and Mingyu laughed along   
“Maybe not today though? I just, i look like shit, you know.” Wonwoo added and he felt nauseated all of a sudden.   
“Yeah, yeah. Of course. Cool.” Mingyu said, Wonwoo felt his head spin and said goodbye to Mingyu with an excuse of having to do homework now.    
“Your lies just keep piling up on each other, don’t they.” Wonwoo asked to himself as he rounded the street onto theirs. He can’t wait to see how he could possible salvage himself after this.

 

\--------------------

 

“I don’t get this whole ordeal. So they’re all philosophers talking about the, what? The roots of love? Why we love? Is that it?” Taeyong asked as he dropped the handouts on the floor and rolled around his bed.   
“Yeah, actually.” Wonwoo said, he was on Taeyong’s vanity table writing up some more notes over Taeyong’s notes but now with a vivid purple pen he seems to be liking too much. ‘The colors help me remember things. Plus it’s pretty.’ Taeyong defended when Wonwoo asked why the weird request to use at least three colored pen.

 

  
“Phaedrus says love is about honor. What we do for love and for our loved ones is the reflection of our soul. You know how Hercules literally went through hell to bring back his lover’s soul? That's what he means.” Wonwoo said. He looked at the mirror in front of him to see Taeyong lying face up, staring at the ceiling.

  
“Pausanias believed in two kinds of love, heavenly love and common love. Common love is the kind to be more physical, i guess. More on the satisfaction you get in loving rather than achieving more with love, like in heavenly love. To love at the right time and at the right place. With Erixymachus, well he basically is just explaining karma. Or the whole ‘every actions has its equal and opposite reaction’ bit. My favorite is Aristrophanes, though.” Wonwoo feels himself smile despite himself.

  
“We love to be whole. You know the whole ‘man had four legs, four arms, and two heads’ story? Where Zeus was scared of their power as a whole so he halved them and they live their lives never feeling whole. Always not enough.” Wonwoo hadn’t realized Taeyong leaning up with his elbows, looking right at him through the mirror with a weird expression.   
“So yeah. Basically there were whole men, and whole women, and the hermaphrodites. So when a man finds his other half in a man, they were said to be a whole man before, and when a man finds his half in a woman, they were a hermaphrodite before, and when a woman finds his half in another woman, they were a whole woman before. Do you understand?” Wonwoo finished, he looked up and saw Taeyong sitting at the edge of his bed with his head on top of his hands on the bed frame.    
They’ve been continuing their tutor sessions for a week now and Wonwoo would be lying if he said Taeyong wasn’t growing on him. In the confines of his own home, he’s more reserved and his vocabulary is a lot less, well, insulting for Wonwoo’s part. He might even think they’re almost friends. 

“Well, i don’t know about that. But i think i believe Agathon’s theory the most.” Taeyong spoke up as he picked up his handout from the floor.

  
“Love being about sensitivity, beauty, all the good things in life. That’s why a lot of people leave their loved ones eventually. No one’s pretty forever. And someone’s bound to be prettier and younger and more innocent than you.” Taeyong said in a cold and monotonous voice.   
“I’d like to think love as more than that.” Wonwoo spoke up, he heard Taeyong scoff and laugh humorlessly at that.   
“Spoken like a true romantic.” Taeyong said bitterly. Before Wonwoo could say anything in retaliation, Taeyong spoke up in a much more reserved voice.   
“Have you ever been loved, Wonwoo?”    
  
The question threw Wonwoo off. Most people ask if they’ve ever been in love, never have you ever been loved.   
“I don’t think i understand that question.” Wonwoo said and Taeyong laughed humorlessly again.   
“I thought you were the smart one here. Come on. Has anyone ever loved you? Made you feel special, made you feel unique, made you like being yourself more because they make you seem more than what you see yourself to be?” Taeyong said exasperatedly.   
“Have you ever been loved and left before?” Wonwoo suddenly feels like they’re talking about something outside the scope of Philo101 syllabus.   
“No. I can’t say i have.” Wonwoo said as he turned around to face the bed.   
“Well it sucks. It’s like the Cinderella effect.” Taeyong said as he sat up. Wonwoo looked at him confused as he went on.   
“It’s like, you suddenly have this magic all around you and everything’s so fucking vibrant. Then the clock struck twelve and you’re running and running but your shoe doesn’t come off because it fits oh so fucking perfectly. So you go home. Your prince charming doesn’t look for you. And you live your life as a maid for the rest of your life. The Cinderella effect.” Taeyong said in a final voice that had Wonwoo smiling and nodding a bit.   
  


“Looks like we have a blooming philosopher here.” Wonwoo joked and Taeyong laughed.   
“Shut up.” Taeyong said, no venom in his voice whatsoever. Taeyong’s expression then went somber. Wonwoo doesn’t know why until Taeyong spoke up.  

 

“Have you and Mingyu sexted yet?” Taeyong asked. Wonwoo, in his Wonwoo-y manner, choked on air and started having a coughing fit. He turned around and looked scandalously at Taeyong.   
“What?” Taeyong asked in a defensive voice.    
“Don’t look at me like that. I’m just curious.” Taeyong said. Wonwoo can feel himself blush a bit and turned back around to the notes he was writing.   
“He’s not like that.” Wonwoo said. He hears Taeyong snort and then lied back down.   
“Sure.” Taeyong said. Wonwoo, for some reason, felt offended by what Taeyong was insinuating.

“He isn’t. Don’t act like you know him like that.” Wonwoo said, feeling himself getting more annoyed.   
“Sure. whatever you say. All i’m saying is,” Taeyong sat up again on his bed and looked at Wonwoo through the mirror. “he’s gonna be experienced in some ‘areas’ of your life that you might not be actively participating in. Whether you chose not to participate or otherwise.” Taeyong said. Wonwoo can’t help but feel his anxiety creep up again as Taeyong dived through the topic. Yes, he knows Mingyu’s got to at least be popular to the girls in their university. But Wonwoo know he’s not the typical jock Taeyong expects him to be.   
“Well,” Taeyong spoke up again, not giving Wonwoo a chance to think of a response, “you can always ask your exes about how well you are in, you know, ‘that’ stuff.” Taeyong said with a teasing smile. Wonwoo felt himself blush deeper and he couldn’t look at Taeyong straight in the eye. He then hears Taeyong gasp exaggeratedly from behind.

“Please don’t tell me you’re a virgin.” Taeyong said with a smile on his face and Wonwoo feels himself deflating. He always hated these topics, to be honest. Everyone thinks it’s so fucking weird to see a twenty year old virgin in the twenty first century. And Wonwoo’s sick of the weird looks.

“Can you at least pretend like treating me like shit isn’t your favorite hobby?” Wonwoo said in frustration. He glanced at Taeyong through the mirror and saw the other’s smile falter a bit. Wonwoo felt himself relax a bit and realized he’s been absentmindedly drawing at the corners of Taeyong’s notes.

“Hey.” Taeyong spoke up again. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to be a dick, honestly. I just thought you were messing with me or something.” Wonwoo wasn’t sure if Taeyong was talking to him with actual stead, given that Taeyong had always ridiculed him every chance he got.   
“Wonwoo. I’m- i’m sorry, okay?” Taeyong said, Wonwoo, once again, was surprised at Taeyong’s behaviour. He actually said an apology with genuine remorse. Wonwoo felt himself smile a bit at that.

“Can you say that again? I wanna record it.” Wonwoo jokes. He saw Taeyong smile at him from his bed and proceeded to throw a pillow at him.   
“I felt bad, okay. But, for reals though? Nothing sexual? At all?” Taeyong asked, now more on curiously rather than teasingly. Wonwoo shook his head no and Taeyong looked utterly surprised.   
“Well damn. What about kissing? You’ve got to at least have kissed someone?” Taeyong asked, he was crawling on his bed to move towards Wonwoo.   
“Does spin the bottle counts?” Wonwoo asked. Taeyong groaned.   
“Oh my god. You’re one fine piece of work Jeon Wonwoo.” Taeyong said. Wonwoo turned around and saw nothing but an honest smile on Taeyong’s face. Taeyong’s face then looked as if he just got hit by an idea.   
“Wait. Does that mean Mingyu’s gonna be your first kiss?” Taeyong asked frantically. Wonwoo felt himself blush at the thought, given that he has thought about kissing Mingyu’s lips. Wonwoo couldn’t find words to answer which was an answer by itself. 

“Oh god. No. you can’t have your first kiss with someone you really like!” Wonwoo looked at Taeyong, confused. His statement almost made it seem like you have to kiss your worst enemy first.

“What?” Wonwoo asked and Taeyong rolled his eyes.

“Look. First times are always awkward, any type of firsts.” Taeyong gave Wonwoo a pointed look.   
“But the first kiss is always the most embarrassing and awkward. You don’t know where to put your hands, what to do with your lips, when is it the right time to stop, what to actually do. It’s just a whole hot mess waiting to happen. But once you’re over it, it gets better.” Taeyong explained. Wonwoo actually felt terrified after hearing this. 

“Well, what am i supposed to do? Walk up to a stranger and ask them to kiss me so i can ‘get over it’ ?” Wonwoo asked, clearly frustrated. 

“Shut up. You know what i mean. Don’t you have a friend that you know won’t, like, fall for you afterwards? That when it gets awkward you don’t mind not talking anymore, or something?” Taeyong suggested. Wonwoo gave it a thought.   
  


The thing is, Wonwoo has lots of friends. 

But he can count in one hand all the friends he does talk to regularly. And sometimes all of them are in their house.   
He thought about that and already crossed out Jihoon and Soonyoung. Wonwoo does not want to mess with that. He thought maybe Jun would be perfect for it. But then again, maybe not so much when things spiral downwards and their whole living situation goes to shit because Wonwoo wanted to get rid of his first kiss. Then he thought of Kun. Maybe Kun would help him. But he can’t think of what to do if things do get complicated. He can’t risk not having Kun as a friend. He then tried to think of someone he spends a lot of time with recently, someone he knew isn’t that close to him. Someone who would possibly not want to scream in the whole uni that Wonwoo’s been whoring his first kiss like his life depended on it.   
  


Then it hit him.

Then he looked at him.

“Can you do it?” Wonwoo asked. Taeyong stared at him in disbelief and then started laughing.   
“That’s funny.” Taeyong said in between laughter. It took him a minute to calm down and see Wonwoo’s serious face.

“Oh god, you’re serious.” Taeyong said and he seemed to have sobered up. He then looked at Wonwoo straight in the eye. He seems to be contemplating whether or not he should do it. Maybe weighing in his options.

“Um, okay. Are you sure?” Taeyong asked. Wonwoo shrugged and then Taeyong’s suddenly standing in front of him. Taeyong looked as unsure as Wonwoo was feeling. He looked at the door, which made Wonwoo look at it as well, and saw it locked. He then took a deep breath and then looked straight at Wonwoo’s eyes. Pointing a finger in his face.   
“Don’t you dare fall in love with me. I need this.” Taeyong said, talking about Wonwoo’s tutoring sessions. Wonwoo then laughed out loud. Taeyong rolled his eyes.    
“Alright. I get it. You hate my guts. Let's get this over with. Close your eyes. Maybe think of Mingyu if that helps. I don’t care.” Taeyong said. He then started leaning down and Wonwoo closed his eyes and imagined Mingyu leaning down to kiss him. He’s imagined Mingyu sweeping him off his feet to steal his first kiss in the most romantic way so many times now, so you can imagine his surprise when Wonwoo’s mind faltered and showed Taeyong instead.   
  
Wonwoo can’t explain it properly but the kiss felt wrong and right. Wrong because the image of Mingyu’s lips were ripped off his mind as a pair of thin but soft lips pressed against his in a tender way. He felt like he was being forced to see someone else as he kisses Mingyu and his heart started racing.    
But it felt right, it felt nice. Taeyong said it’d be awkward, weird, and messy. But it was none of those. 

Wonwoo felt Taeyong’s left hand on his neck, almost like it was supporting Wonwoo’s neck as he craned his neck up to kiss back. So you really can’t blame Wonwoo for being surprised when Taeyong parted his lips a bit and started deepening the kiss more. Wonwoo couldn’t help but kiss back as best as he could. Trying to imitate the way Taeyong’s sucking at his upper lips lightly. But they were cut off with Wonwoo’s phone ringing, notifying them of a video call. 

So in a Wonwoo-like fashion, he stood up abruptly which caused to them bumping their heads together and then scrambling and tripping the two step he had to take in order to grab for his laptop and then started shoving it to a slightly amused Taeyong who was rubbing at his head.    
“Answer it! Quick! Before he ends the call!” Wonwoo sat on Taeyong’s bed, behind the laptop, as Taeyong sat down on the floor.   
“Okay! Geez…” Taeyong said as he opened the laptop.   
  
“Hey!” Mingyu greeted. Wonwoo felt breathless as he hears. He sees Taeyong smiling and looking blankly at the screen before looking at him and then moving closer to him.   
‘I thought you were gonna talk and i’m gonna mouth after you’ Taeyong mouthed and Wonwoo felt himself flush as he mouthed a sorry and pushed Taeyong back.   
“Hey, is this a… a bad time? I can call again some other time if you-” “No!” Wonwoo cut him off, and he sees Taeyong repeating after him, voicelessly.   
“Sorry, i just… uh.. Checked if i shaved my eyebrows?” Wonwoo said and he saw Taeyong glared at him.   
Mingyu laughed nervously. “Are you with someone right now?” he asked and Wonwoo gave Taeyong a pointed look before answering.   
“No. i’m just. You know. I’m here.” Wonwoo said and he can see taeyong falter a bit at the words.   
“Um, i think the connection’s really bad. The audio’s kind of off.” Mingyu said and Wonwoo panics a bit.   
“Oh, yeah! Our Wifi’s really bad. Sorry.” Wonwoo said and he feels his heart tighten at the sound of Mingyu’s laugh echoing through his laptop.   
“Well, your voice doesn’t sound Vader-y so i guess this is okay.” Mingyu said and Wonwoo laughed a bit.   
“You’re such a nerd. Oh my god.” Wonwoo said offhandedly and he sees Taeyong smile at him a bit after mouthing his words.   
“Yeah, well. So are you.” Mingyu said back and Wonwoo think’s Taeyong is a bit amused by their exchange.   
“Yeah. but the difference is yours is safeguarded by this jock-like forcefield that keeps bullies away.” Wonwoo said offhandedly and he sees Taeyong tense up a bit as Mingyu’s laugh die down.   
“Yeah, well yours is safeguarded by me as well. And besides, you look gorgeous.” Mingyu said and Wonwoo saw Taeyong look at his screen a bit longer than he should as his cheeks turns a light shade of pink.   
“Yeah. uhm. Thanks. Hey listen i got to go. But i’ll call you. Okay? Okay bye!” Wonwoo said in a hurry and as Taeyong mouthed his words for him he slammed the laptop shut. Taeyong shot up laughing and grabbed a pillow and kept playfully hitting Wonwoo.

  
“Oh my god! I can’t believe that fucking worked! Holy fuck!” Wonwoo laughed along and started hitting back when all of a sudden the door to Taeyong’s room opened and two unfamiliar faces were staring right at Wonwoo’s face.   
“Johnny! And Jisung! What are you guys doing here?!” Taeyong yelled before tackling both and hugging them as tight as he could, bringing the taller one to lean down to their height.

“Your dad picked us up on the way home.” the lanky one said, he was almost as tall as Taeyong but the way he looked at Taeyong makes him look much younger.   
Taeyong then sprinted down the hallway and downstairs as fast as he could, leaving Wonwoo clutching a pillow in front of two unfamiliar faces.   
“Hey. I’m Wonwoo. I tutor Taeyong.” Wonwoo said once his brain started functioning again.   
“I didn’t know they had a pillow fighting class in uni. Now i’m excited.” the lanky one said which earned him a light slap at the back of his head.   
“No smart mouthing house guests, Jisung!” the taller one, who Wonwoo knows now is Johnny, said. He smiled at Wonwoo and then asked if he could stay for dinner, “I think we bought enough food to feed the entire street, to be honest.”

Wonwoo was about to decline, make a polite yet valid excuse and then be on his way, but Taeyong bursted in the room again and grabbed Wonwoo by the arm.   
“Come on. Food’s ready.” Wonwoo couldn’t help the smile on his face as Taeyong rambled on and on about how noisy the house is gonna be this weekend so he suggested to study at his place or the library next time.   
“Ugh, are you sure? I mean, our house, yeah i guess. I can time my housemates so they won’t get to see you. But the library’s too public. Won’t they see-” “See what? Me studying?” Taeyong asked as they landed on the first floor and rounded about the dinding room to see a long table for ten people filled to the edge with boxes of take out from at least three different places and Wonwoo could see a few boxes of pizzas peaking out.

  
“Taeyong? Studying? That WOULD be a sight, don’t you think?” the one on the further most right or the table, who Wonwoo found out is Donghyuck over the week, said as he was rummaging through plastic bags of what Wonwoo could see from the packaging as chinese food.

“No one asked, sunshine. And no hogging the dumplings!” Taeyong said as he dragged Wonwoo to the other end of the table and then making him sit at the end of the table.    
“Really though, It’s fine. My housemate’s probably has food-” “Well, they only ‘probably’ have food. We definitely have food. Why choose a possibility over certainty?” Taeyong said in a somewhat sarcastic voice and Wonwoo could see the sly smirk on his lips as he says this.   
“I hate teaching you logic and philosophy. It’s coming to bite me in the ass.”   
“Biting who’s what now?” someone said from behind Wonwoo and Wonwoo saw a middle aged man, well, Wonwoo assumed was a very fit and healthy middle aged man, walking towards the other end of the table as the other kids sit around the table rummaging through the food on the table. The man was looking around the table but his eyes locked on to Wonwoo.   
“You’re not one of mine are you?” he asked. And Wonwoo’ for the second time that night, was taken back by a weird question.   
“No, dad. He’s helping me out in one of my classes. Nothing to worry about, just making sure i pull my grades better.” Taeyong said as he opened a large pepperoni pizza and then made Wonwoo get one as he passed the box to Jeno on his right.   
“Ah. Well, keep doing a good job Tae.” the man said and suddenly he looked back at Wonwoo again.   
“Wait, where are my manners. I’m Jooyong, by the way. Taeyong’s father. And the father of all of these runts till they leave me, like this one.” He said, fake bitterness on his voice as he motioned for Johnny.   
“You’re so dramatic. As if i’m not here at least once a month.” Johnny said as he scooped up what looks like pasta on his plate. And then scooped the rest on Jisung’s plate beside him.    
Beside Jisung is Jaemin who was asking Renjun, who was to Wonwoo’s right, what he wanted to eat. Wonwoo then glanced on the other side of the table and saw Donghyuck saying something to Taeyong’s dad as Jeno was passing Taeyong one of the cups of coke in front of Johnny. 

Wonwoo looked around the table of loud and messy boys and guys in front of him and he somehow felt a cold chill pass through him. He feels like he’s watching it from afar, through a T.V. screen, or something.   
“Hey, Won?” Taeyong asked, a cup in his hand hovering in front of Wonwoo’s plate.    
“You okay? Eat up then i’ll walk you out.” Taeyong said and Wonwoo gave him a tight lipped smile as he tried to keep up with the conversation, or rather, conversations, given that at least three people are always talking at the same time, and in the middle of them eating Mark bursts through the door and dropped his bag at the foot of the table and pushed Taeyong to scoot over.   
“You guys would not believe what i just saw.” He said as he grabbed for two chicken wings and tried to reach for one of the pasta in front of Taeyong.   
“A bunch of college dudes from the next campus were driving around, drunk, yelling out and stuff. And then someone probably called the cops or the campus police from your uni,” he motioned for Taeyong, “ probably heard them and tailed them till they were all taken in.” Everyone was so captured by the way Mark was telling his story that when he took a bite of chicken and then looked up, with the chicken still in his mouth, everyone seems to be waiting for more of the story.   
“That’s it. They were caught.” Mark said and a few gave out exasperated sighs.   
“That not uncommon, you know. They’re probably varsity jocks. You know. Typical.” Jaemin said as he took a sip of his drink. Wonwoo looked down at his plate and thought to himself ‘not my Mingyu, though’. And then he proceeded to blush to himself at that.   
‘Since when was Mingyu MY mingyu???’ Wonwoo asked to himself and Taeyong spoke up.   
“Jaemin, no stereotyping in this household, understood?” Taeyong said in a slightly stern voice and Jaemin looked a bit embarrassed for a second but then proceeded to eat his meal. Wonwoo looked up at him and offered him a smile which Taeyong offered back.

 

An hour and two plates of chicken and pasta later, Wonwoo was waving bye to a house of strangers who are a lot less strangers now as Taeyong walked him down the road.   
“So,” Wonwoo started, looking at the ground as they walked side by side. “Are all of them your foster brothers?” he finally asked. He instantly regretted asking for some reason and started panicking.   
“Yeah. But Jisung’s been adopted by someone else after staying with us for three years, i think. The four horsemen of the apocalypse,” Taeyong said, Wonwoo knew he meant Jeno, Jaemin, Renjun, and Donghyuk, “I think he’s close to adopting them. Like, Legitimately adopting them.  They grew up in an orphanage together and they really stuck to each other, having no other family than each other, you know. A few times, a couple would think about adopting one or two of them, one time they all were going to be adopted but to different couples so they declined. That’s when my dad saw them. They were thirteen back then. Renjun was barely talking, Hyuck was acting out for no reason, Jeno and Jeamin leaving their room to sleep in the other two’s room.” Wonwoo was wondering why Taeyong and Mark had their own room when the other four shared a single one.   
“Yeah. And Johnny’s the sweetest. He’s literally the older brother i never had. Having him back then was weird at first but eventually he warmed up to us all.” Taeyong said, smiling as he was probably recalling memories of the first time Johnny joined their family.   
“But yeah. That’s my family.” Taeyong said, smiling at Wonwoo.   
“I- I don’t mean to pry but, earlier. About the love and stuff. Did you like, not like having them before? Or-” “What?” Taeyong exclaimed and Wonwoo felt kind of shitty.   
“Oh god no. I love those kids like their ‘my’ kids! I meant that about- i meant that about my dad. Well, i guess it’s more accurate to say it’s about my mom.” Taeyong said. His expression turned a bit somber and Wonwoo was starting to regret asking.   
“Well, long story short, he left my dad for some young, good looking, rich asswipe one day and just said ‘it’s not you, it’s me’ and left.”   
“What? You’re dad’s kinda hot though.” Wonwoo said without thinking and flushed right away.   
“Oh god. That is not what i mean.” Wonwoo said as Taeyong started laughing out loud.   
“First you use me to get some college guy and now you’re using me to get my dad?” both guys erupted in laughter and Wonwoo feels a slight joy at making Taeyong laugh.

‘He really is gorgeous. I can see why Mingyu would fall for him.’ he thought. He kept on laughing with Taeyong until they reached the end of the street.

“Oh and there’s gonna be a party in a few days so we should cancel the studying then.” Taeyong said. Wonwoo felt himself shrink a bit and nodded.   
“Come over around six then okay?” Taeyong said and Wonwoo looked at him confused.   
“What?” Taeyong asked, looking as confused as Wonwoo was. Then it hit Wonwoo.   
“Wait- am i invited?” Wonwoo asked. Taeyong laughed and Wonwoo felt stupid for even asking.   
“Everyone’s invited. It’s a party, Won.” Taeyong said, still trying to control his laughter.   
“Yeah. sure, i get that. But you want to- You want me to go with you? In public?” Wonwoo asked, not really sure if Taeyong’s fucking with him or not.   
“What. You’re too cool for me to hang out now that you got yourself a boyfriend?” Taeyong asked Wonwoo, Wonwoo almost missing the teasing tone under Taeyong’s voice as the other laughed.

“Wait. give me your phone.” Taeyong said. Wonwoo looked at him, confused, and handed him his phone. Taeyong then started fixing his hair and proceeded in taking pictures.

“Send him that. It’s not fair that you got shirtless pics and he doesn’t get any in return.” Taeyong said and Wonwoo laughed.   
“Well, are you willing to send him a shirtless pic?” Wonwoo asked and Taeyong playfully punched his shoulder.   
“No thanks. I’m gonna head back now.” Taeyong then said his goodbye and then ran back home. 

  
  


That night after Wonwoo took a bath, he called his parents and told them he loved them and that he appreciates them very much. His father had laughed at him and his mother asked him if he was high or drunk. Wonwoo laughed along but told them he just really misses home. He tells them he loves them one more time and then said his good night. The next day he woke up to another set of ‘i’m not talking to you AGAIN’ messages from Mingyu, since he had forgotten to call him last night, and a slightly moody Jihoon.   
“I’m really sorry. I swear i’ll text next time i’m home late. I didn’t mean to worry you.” Wonwoo said as Jihoon took a seat at the opposite side of the dining table, look up to Wonwoo, and took a sip of his coffee, and then started scrolling through his phone. Wonwoo groaned and he heard the front door open as Soonyoung and Kun strode in.   
“Good morning! Where’s this baked mac you saved for me?” Kun asked as he opened the fridge and Wonwoo looked back at Jihoon again. Jihoon’s eyes were cold and dead and staring right at Wonwoo’s when he answered Kun.   
“The one in the plastic container with the blue lid. You can heat it up in the microwave and join us for breakfast if you want. We have more room to spare, apparently.” Soonyoung laughed awkwardly as he placed his arm around Jihoon’s shoulder, probably trying to soothe him.    
“Oooh. Drama. Did Wonwoo ditch you guys too?” Kun asked as he closed the Microwave.   
“I did not ditch ‘anyone’ in this- wait, ‘TOO’?” Wonwoo looked up at Kun and Kun rolled his eyes.

“What day is it?” Kun asked.   
“Wednesday?” Wonwoo answered, not entirely sure if it was a Wednesday.   
“And yesterday was?” Kun asked again. He was staring at the microwave as intently as he could.    
“Tuesday? Where is this head- oh.” Then it hit Wonwoo.   
Then a flying blue lid hit Wonwoo’s head.   
  
“Tuesday is our sleepover night, you ass. How dare you? How fucking dare you taint our friendship like this?” Kun was exaggerating, yes, but Wonwoo really feels fucking bad. So he did what his sleep deprived, emotionally constipated brain could best think of and went to his room to grab his bag and then sat back down again.   
He look for a piece of bond paper and started writing and cutting and two minutes later he was holding out two handmade “Puppet Wonwoo” coupons, one for Kun and one for Jihoon.   
“You can use this whenever and i’ll do anything you want i swear. I’m really sorry.” Wonwoo said.   
Kun gladly took his while grinning ear to ear as he ate gleefully while Jihoon looked at it as if Wonwoo was holding out a leaf in front of him. Soonyoung groaned and took the coupon from Wonwoo and put it in his wallet.   
“You’re all being dramatic, seriously.” Soonyoung said as Jihoon took another sip of his coffee while staring blankly at Wonwoo.   
“Anyways, how’s your short story coming Won?” Soonyoung asked as Wonwoo was fixing his bag. Wonwoo’s head snapped up, eyes blown wide and Soonyoung’s smile falters.   
“My what?” Wonwoo asked quietly and suddenly Jihoon snorted out a laugh. He then stood up and left his cup in the sink then started making his way back to his room.   
“Karma’s such a bitch.” Jihoon said as he disappeared inside his room. Wonwoo groaned and dropped his head on the table.   
“Have i told any of you how ‘grand’ my life is?” Wonwoo said, monotonous and a little sad. Soonyoung told him to not worry and that if he started now he could pass it by the end of the week, Kun laughed and said Wonwoo would be lucky to have a draft by the end of the month. Soonyoung can’t say he’s surprised when the blue lid came flying again, but now from a different direction.

 

\---------

 

“Hey? You still awake?” Wonwoo asked. Mingyu grunted as a response and Wonwoo knew he was getting sleepy.   
“I was gonna ask you a question, but i think we should call it a night.” Wonwoo said as he rolled over his bed so he was facing the ceiling.

 

He had called Mingyu earlier that night after midnight and it didn’t even take him five minutes for Mingyu to forgive him. Wonwoo apologized endlessly and Mingyu said he should compensate for the restless night, but he’d think of how eventually.

Wonwoo went to the party Taeyong had mentioned before and true to his words, Taeyong did stick by Wonwoo the whole night. He introduced Taeyong to the rest of Taeyong’s dance studio buddies which led to an unfortunate encounter with Doyoung and Ten. Taeyong then left Wonwoo to his friends as he talked to the two. Wonwoo honestly thought he’d feel weird, a little out of place even, well, to be honest, he did at first. But by the end of the night Wonwoo had someone on both side of him either talking to him or listening intently to Wonwoo talk. Wonwoo had found common grounds with them as they talked about an online game Wonwoo and Kun’s been obsessing about for month and Taeyong came back alone as one of his friends was reenacting the way the player shoots the gun in an awkward angle. Taeyong then asked Wonwoo if he wanted to stay longer, seeing that it was almost midnight, but Wonwoo just said his goodbye to the group as a few of them yell out their numbers incoherently for Wonwoo. Taeyong then walked Wonwoo home and said his goodbye as Wonwoo’s phone started ringing notifying the both of them that Mingyu’s calling. Wonwoo went inside, stripped his clothes and lied on his bed half naked with the covers rolled around him.

  
“No. No no no, ask me now. I’m like, so awake right now.” Mingyu said, slurring his words a bit and Wonwoo finds him adorable.    
“Don’t like, overthink it okay? But, have you ever felt alone while being around people?”Wonwoo asked. He heard Mingyu laugh softly before answering.   
“Uh, like every time i’m in the locker room?” Mingyu jokes.    
“Why are you asking? Is everything alright?” Mingyu asked, he seemed more awake now and Wonwoo doesn’t know if he should feel guilty or flattered.   
“It’s just that. I don’t know, i see everyone around me with their own thing and with their own set of ‘other’ friends, and yet here i am, y’know.” Wonwoo said, Mingyu was quiet for a while and Wonwoo suddenly felt stupid.   
“Shit, sorry. Too emo. Okay, i think i’m just really sleepy.” Wonwoo tried to say but Mingyu was already stopping him.   
“No no no, hey, no. i was just, i was thinking of the best way to answer that. I didn’t want to seem insensitive or anything. Just,” Wonwoo heard him take a deep breath, “you have me now, though. I mean. I’m always here for you if you want. Okay?” Wonwoo felt like a complete dick right now and he’s itching so much to tell mingyu the whole truth right now.   
“Hey, Gyu?”    
“Mhmm?” Wonwoo took a deep breath and decided to just end this now.   
“I think i like you, a lot.” Wonwoo said. And he hears Mingyu chuckle.   
“I like you a lot too.” Mingyu said back, his words slurring more now.   
“You’re gonna hate me after this, but i hope you won’t. It’s not even my idea. I just, well i didn’t stop it either i guess, but the thing is i’m not-” Wonwoo was cut with a soft snore coming from the other end of the line. Wonwoo heaved a deep sigh and smiled to himself.   
“Good night Mingyu” he said to his phone before ending the call. Wonwoo closed his eyes and tried to clear his mind. “I can do this. You can do this Wonwoo. You can do this.” 

 

\---------

 

“I don’t think i can do this.” Wonwoo said, feeling his heart about to jump out of his chest or crawl up his throat and just burst out of his mouth. Taeyong rolled his eyes for the nth time tonight and rubbed his hand up and down Wonwoo’s back. They were in the bathroom of the cinema where Wonwoo, or was it Taeyong- where they asked Mingyu out on a date. Wonwoo had called Mingyu earlier and asked him out. He really wasn’t sure if he was nervous that he’d say yes or if he was nervous that he’d say no, but he did say yes, and Wownoo felt like throwing up. So he called Taeyong.

  
“I’m gonna tell him later. But i need you there.” Wonwoo said, Taeyong looked at him in a weird way again and nodded.   
“Alright. We got to get you dressed though. If i see one more pair of sweatpants and hoodie from you i will disown you.” Taeyong said. He told Wonwoo to come by a few hours before their date so that Taeyong can work his magic.   
  
And work his magic, he did.    
  
Wonwoo looked at the leather jacket that’s snug and fit on his shoulders, he looked at the way these skinny jeans are hugging his legs in a way that made them look longer than they are. He looks at his reflection and thinks it’s got to be a joke.   
Taeyong dressed in a simple sweater and a coat that just brings out his newly dyed black hair that took him a whole ten minutes to fix which Wonwoo said out loud as they made their way downstairs.   
“You can’t rush perfection, Wonwoo.” Taeyong said, rolling his eyes at Wonwoo. Before Wonwoo could respond, he feels a a few pairs of eyes trailing him as he stood by the door.   
  
“Damn.” Donghyuck said, looking at Wonwoo up and down which made him feel self conscious. Johnny, who was reading a book from the couch, then raised his hand.   
“I’d just like to say that i’m extremely gay and single at this moment.” Johnny said, Wonwoo relaxed a bit when Taeyong rolled his eyes and scolded Jeno and Jaemin for raising their hands too.

“We’ll be going now! I’ll be home late so just lock up later, okay?” Taeyong called out as he pushed Wonwoo out of the door and on their way to the bus stop.   
  
Half an hour and a bus ride later, they were at the cinema waiting for Mingyu. And when he did come, Wonwoo helt his throat close up and ran inside to hide in the bathroom.    
  
And here they are now.   
  
“So? Still doing this?” Taeyong asked, Wonwoo looked at him with defeated eyes and just splashed his face with water. He took a deep breath and then looked right at Taeyong’s eyes.   
“I feel like i’m gonna throw up.” Wonwoo said, Taeyong smiled at him sympathetically.   
“Well, I’m fucking ecstatic. You guys are finally gonna, like, fall in love with each other and shit.” Taeyong said and Wonwoo laughed.   
“Thanks.” Wonwoo said, laughing.   
“No, seriously. He’s so sweet and adorably dorky, in a way. You deserve someone like him.” Taeyong said, smiling at Wonwoo. Wonwoo’s eyebrows knitted together as he stared back at Taeyong, slightly amused.   
“Do you… Do you like him?” Wonwoo asked. Taeyong looked at him for a second with confusion in his face which then broke into a snort.   
“For a smart guy you really are a dimwit sometimes.” Taeyong said. Wonwoo doesn’t know if he’s imagining the nervousness that he hears in Taeyong’s voice, but he decided to ignore it as Taeyong dragged him outside.   
  
Wonwoo let himself be dragged out and into the theater lobby where the ticket booth was and he saw a glimpse of Mingyu and his friend talking besides the booth. Taeyong suggested that Wonwoo should ask Mingyu out on a date but to also asked if he could bring a friend. Mingyu said yes, but only if he can bring his as well. 

The closer Taeyong dragged Wonwoo to Mingyu, the faster his heart seems to be beating, the harder it is to breathe.    
“Tae, wait. I can’t do this.” Wonwoo said as he pulled Taeyong back.   
“What? Come on! You can do this!” Taeyong insisted, a little bit louder than Wonwoo would’ve liked because a few meters away from them is Mingyu staring right at Wonwoo then down at his and Taeyong’s hands. Wonwoo saw Mingyu’s expression hardened and Wonwoo felt guilty for some reason.   
“Tae, i can’t!” Wonwoo whisper yelled, Taeyong’s back was to Mingyu so he doesn’t understand Wonwoo’s panic when Mingyu suddenly walking towards them in large steps.   
“Fuck. Please Tae, not now. I can’t. I promise i’m gonna tell him.” Wonwoo pleaded and Taeyong rolled his eyes.    
“Wonwoo, if you don’t do this now, you never will. Come on. I’m so tired of having to be sandwiched by your messed up love life.” Taeyong said a bit louder. Wonwoo felt a bit hurt by how Taeyong explained their situation and started feeling a bit frustrated.    
“Look you agreed to this too! Besides, you were the one who started giving my number away to random people.” Wonwoo said, a bit louder than he intended as he saw Mingyu look at him with a confused look. He then looked around and realized they were attracting too much attention.    
“Oh, so this is my fault now. Wow. Okay, THAT is rich coming from a fucking catfish.” Taeyong spat out as he let go of Wonwoo’s hand. Wonwoo saw Mingyu still standing still a few meters away from them, his eyes not leaving Wonwoo which made Wonwoo feel even more agitated.   
“Can we not do this now, please.” Wonwoo pleaded and Taeyong seems to realize where they are again and he turned around and saw Mingyu staring at the two of them in the middle of the hall. Taeyong turned around to look at Wonwoo again and then back at Mingyu. He took a deep breath and then grabbed for Wonwoo’s hand and started dragging him again, now more forceful than before.   
“This whole thing ends tonight. I can’t take this anymore.” Taeyong said in a strained voice.   
Taeyong then walked by Mingyu and grabbed his hand as he dragged him along as well, heading outside of the movie theater and then letting them go as they reached the edge of the parking lot.   
“Taeyong? What the hell’s going on?” Mingyu asked as Taeyong let go of their hands and crossed his arms in front of him. Taeyong looked at Wonwoo pointedly, gesturing for him to talk first, but Wonwoo stared back at him blankly. Wonwoo then saw Mingyu’s friend beside Mingyu asking him what’s going on.   
“I don’t know, actually. What is going on?” Mingyu asked again, his eyes now flickering from Taeyong to Wonwoo. Wonwoo heard Taeyong take a deep breath and he decided it’s now or never.   
“I’m Wonwoo.” He blurted out, a bit faster and shaky than he intended. Mingyu looked confused at first, obviously a bit taken back by the out of the blue introduction.   
“Oh, uhm. I’m Mingyu. And this is my friend Jaehyun.” Mingyu said, gesturing to his friend who smiled and gave a small wave at Wonwoo. Wonwoo smiled a bit and waved back. Wonwoo still looked a bit unsure of what’s happening and Taeyong was looking more and more annoyed as seconds tick by.   
“Don’t you recognize his voice?” Taeyong suddenly said to Mingyu, who was startled by how loud Taeyong was.

“Recognize his- Wait…” Mingyu then looked at Taeyong and then at Wonwoo, then back to Taeyong.   
“What are you- What’s…” Mingyu seems utterly confused and so is his friend. Wonwoo felt his heart drop as guilt started eating him up from the inside. He wanted to explain everything to Mingyu, tell him what happened, what he did and why he did it, but he didn’t have a chance to as Mingyu laughed bitterly at them and turned around to his friend.   
“Come on, Jae.” he said, he was still laughing humorlessly as he dragged his confused friend away from them.   
“Wait-” Wonwoo called out, trying to catch up Mingyu who turned around and punched Wonwoo square on the face.   
“Wonwoo!” Taeyong called out, Mingyu wasn’t sure if he really did call out his name or if it was just a side effect of the concussion he was absolutely sure he’s going to have as he fell to the gravel.   
“What the hell?!” Taeyong exclaimed as he kneeled down to a groaning Wonwoo who was holding his now bleeding nose. Jaehyun already have a cautious arm around Mingyu who looked like he was about to cry.   
“Did you have fun, huh? Did the two of you enjoy messing with me? Is this about the fucking rivalry between our universities or is it just for some cheap fucking laughs. Cause i think i at least deserve to know the reason why two assholes would fuck me over like this.”  Mingyu seethed, he had tears running down his face as he tugged his arm off of his friend and strode off out of the parking lot and disappeared into the night.   
  


Wonwoo felt like shit.

Literally and figuratively.

His whole face was pulsing and he can barely hear Taeyong’s concerned voice over the pounding of his heart against his ear. He doesn’t know if the tears running down his face were because of the punch or because of something else. But one thing he’s sure of is that it’s because of Mingyu, either way. 

 

Taeyong sat him up and Wonwoo somehow felt his head pound even more and he groaned louder than before. He felt Taeyong’s comforting hand rubbing his back and he shrugged him off. 

“Get off.” Wonwoo groaned. He tried standing up by himself and it took him a minute before his vision stopped spinning around.

“Wonwoo, come on i’ll take you-” “I told you not tonight.” Wonwoo said in a defeated voice. He still has his back to Taeyong and Mingyu’s confused friend. He feels frustrated and nauseated and his nose is still leaking blood down on his shirt that’s going to be a pain in the ass to wash off. 

 

Wonwoo turned around and saw Taeyong looking dismayed, his shoulders slack and his head hung low.

“I didn’t think he’d-” “He’d what? Punch me in the face?” Wonwoo retorted. Taeyong sighed.

“I didn’t think he’d be the type to do that.” Taeyong said in a somber voice. Wonwoo can’t find it in himself to be mad, but he can’t really say that he’s not at least frustrated.

“I don’t get why you couldn’t just- Why you had to do it now. Why do you wanna stop now when…” Wonwoo cut off. His mind was racing to the memories of Taeyong smiling at Mingyu’s compliments, memories of Taeyong talking highly of Mingyu, memories that looked as if Taeyong may have fallen for Mingyu too.   
  
“You like him, don’t you?” Wonwoo blurted out. Taeyong’s head whipped to Wonwoo’s direction.

“What?” Taeyong asked.

“You fell for him too, right? And you figured maybe Mingyu will choose you over some pathetic liar so you just…” Wonwoo can’t finish what he was saying. Hurting more over the fact that Taeyong would betray him like that. He thought they were at least friends now. But then again, maybe the feeling wasn’t mutual at all.   
Wonwoo laughed bitterly at the thought and at Taeyong’s shocked face, seemingly caught in the act. He shook his head and turned around, thinking of the shortest way home considering the fact that he’d have to walk an almost thirty minute bus ride from home to here.

“You can keep my notes. I hope they fucking help.” Wonwoo said as loud as he could, hoping that the cracking in his voice looked like it was because of his bruised up face and not because of his breaking heart.

 

It took Wonwoo two hours to walk, or rather waddle, home.a couple of people asked him is he needed any help but he just thanked them and kept on walking. As he approached their house he saw the lights still turned on and he’s already dreading what his friends are gonna say. He took a deep breath and trudged on in.

 

“What the hell are you weari- Oh my god! What happened to you?!” Jihoon said as Wonwoo turned around from closing the door to see his bloodied face. Jihoon pulled Wonwoo and sat him on their dining table. Wonwoo heard the water rushing from the sink and a minute later Jihoon has a wet towel in one hand and the med kit he hid under the kitchen sink on the other. He grabbed hold of Wonwoo’s jaw and then started to gently wipe off the dried blood in his face down to his neck.   
“Take these off.” Jihoon said, motioning at Wonwoo’s messed up shirt and Taeyong’s leather jacket. He took off the jacket and peeled of the t-shirt off his chest. Jihoon then started wiping his bare chest. After that he stood up and rinsed off the towel and sat back down in front of Wonwoo and opened the med kit to pull out a few tubes of ointment and a couple of gauze.

 

Jihoon then looked Wonwoo right in the eye and Wonwoo shivered. It could’ve been from the chill biting at his exposed skin, but he was pretty sure it was just because of how cold Jihoon looked at him. Jihoon worked meticulously on Wonwoo’s face and Wonwoo kept quiet the whole time. Jihoon cleaned up his face and Wonwoo felt a sting in his cheek as Jihoon placed a gauze over in and taped it close. He must’ve cut his skin as he fell on the gravel. Jihoon then started packing the med kit up and closed it with a snap. He stood up and placed the med kit on the kitchen counter and then went back to the table to push his chair back. Jihoon was on his way in his room when Wonwoo spoke up.   
“The guy i liked did this to me, y’know.” Wonwoo said. Jihoon turned around and looked incredulously at Wonwoo. 

“So you don’t have to worry about me missing your dinner from now on.” Wonwoo said. Jihoon then shook his head and went inside his room. Wonwoo heard a few rustling from inside his room and five minutes later Jihoon came out with a duffel bag of what looks like clothes in his hand and his phone on the other. He placed a piece of paper in front of Wonwoo and was texting someone as he made his way to the door and stopped and pocketed his phone when he was at the door.    
“I’m gonna stay over at Soonyoung’s for a while.” Jihoon said, he grabbed for his jacket by the door and put it on. He then picked up his abg again and opened the door. He stopped mid step and turned back around to Wonwoo again.

“Oh, and I’d like to use that now. Get your shit together Wonwoo. “ Jihoon said. He closed the door with a soft thud and Wonwoo was left alone with a piece of paper with “Puppet Wonwoo” written on it and his pulsing, bruised up face and his tears that seems to be flowing on their own


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes, in life, all you need is a punch in the face to get your life sorted out. Or at least, Wonwoo thinks so.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please dont hate me.
> 
> CHECK THE TAGS <3

The next morning, Wonwoo woke up to the sound of pans clattering in the kitchen which made him sit up on his bed so fast he started seeing dark spots swirling around his vision. He groaned as his head pulsed and he wished he hadn’t for how dry his throat felt. Wonwoo trudged slowly out of bed wearing sweatpants and one of his “depression shirt” as Jun called them. It’s really just a regular worn out shirt that’s at least three sizes too big for Wonwoo. He silently walked towards the kitchen, half hoping and half dreading seeing Jihoon making breakfast for them with that kind of sour expression he has when concentrating as he tried to cook three things at once. But when Wonwoo emerged from the hallway he saw someone else making breakfast. Someone Wonwoo never knew could even cook until now.   
  
“You’re home for a change.” Wonwoo said. Jun jumped a little at Wonwoo’s voice and turned his head to smile at the other, then his expression changed to a sour one when he looked at Wonwoo’s appearance.

“And you look like death.” Jun said. “There’s coffee in the pot. Might not really help with that tomato on your face but it’ll wake you up.” Wonwoo frowned. Which made his now bulging nose ache a bit. Wonwoo, in a somewhat zombie-like manner, got a cup of coffee and sat on top of the counter besides the stove. He saw Jun frying up vegetables on one pan and frying eggs on the other.

“What are you making?” Wonwoo asked. Not as much out of curiosity but more on the fact that he wanted the awkwardness that hung in the air gone. Jun looked at him sideways and smirked, Wonwoo might not have been as subtle as he thought.

“I’m making fried rice. Hokkien fried rice. What are ‘you’ doing?” Jun asked, amusement prominent in his voice. Wonwoo was confused with the question so he lifted the mug in his hand and took a sip exaggeratedly in front of Jun. Jun laughed.   
“I mean- What the hell have you been doing. I know i’m barely home some days but you’re barely reachable for two weeks now. Even Kun’s been texting me.” Jun said as he killed the fire and turned to face Wonwoo.

“Also, is this in anyway connected to the fact that i saw you with Taeyong in that one party a few days ago?” Wonwoo froze and stared at Jun like a deer caught in headlights.   
“Don’t worry. I didn’t tell anyone nor am i ever gonna tell anyone. Not like anyone’s gonna believe me saying i saw Wonwoo at a party with Taeyong.” Jun grimaced as he said it out loud. “Even i find it hard to believe.” Jun said as he started plating the food.   
“You actually met my boyfriend there. You know the lanky one? Black hair? Cute ears and pretty eyes.” Jun said and Wonwoo does remember. He seemed quiet at first but was pretty lively after an hour in the party- Wait.   
“You have a boyfriend?! Since when?” Wonwoo asked, scandalized for not knowing.   
“Maybe a month now? I didn’t wanna tell Jihoon cause he’d interrogate him. And i didn’t wanna tell you cause you’re so bitter around Soonyoung all the time.” Jun said as he brought the food on the table motioning for Wonwoo to grab two spoons.   
“I’m not bitter at-” “Save it.” Jun cut him off.    
“We know you like Soonyoung. You’d have to be fucking evil to not like Soonyoung. It's Soonyoung.” Jun said as he took a spoonful of the fried rice and leaned in towards Wonwoo to feed him. Wonwoo was confused at first but opened his mouth nonetheless.   
“It’s just that you seem touchy at the sound of the word ‘relationship’. And honestly i think    
Jihoon’s kinda feel sad about that. He thinks you don’t, like, approve of him and Soonyoung, y’know.” Jun said. He then took another spoonful and now ate it himself. Wonwoo stopped chewing at what Jun said and almost choked as he tried to swallow.

“That’s not-” “Again. I know. But they don’t. You have to see that Wonwoo.” Jun sounded defeated as he looked at Wonwoo. 

“You think being bitter about the world doesn’t affect anyone but it affects everyone closest to you.” Jun said, his voice lacking the light and happy tone Wonwoo’s been used to. 

“Have you even noticed Kun not coming by anymore? Or how Jihoon’s barely in class?” Jun asked, Wonwoo’s eyes widened at that and guilt started grabbing at his heart. Wonwoo hung his head low between his sagged shoulders and thought of something to say. Something to defend himself or to at least explain himself to Jun.   
But he can’t find the words again.   
  


He’s been like that recently. Not being able to use words as well as before. He laughed bitterly inside at the thought of a literature major not being able to come up with words.

 

“How did you two meet?” Wonwoo asked. Jun seemed surprised. He smiled a bit to himself and started talking about Minghao. How they met at a party and how they instantly clicked. It took them a week of texting before Jun had the balls to ask Minghao out but Minghao still beat him to it as the younger showed up by the door of Jun’s classroom after class with a sunflower in hand asking him out on a date. Jun laughed at the memory and then proceeded to ask Wonwoo about him. Wonwoo told him about Mingyu after the initial texts they all knew about. How funny and sweet he is. How Wonwoo had made a deal with Taeyong. How everything felt like flying and how everything ended up with his wings bursting to flames. Wonwoo couldn’t help the tears that fell as he told Jun everything, and he couldn’t help the sobs as Jun stood up from his chair and hugged him.   
Wonwoo apologized to Jun and Jun laughed at him, saying he had nothing so say sorry for, at least not to him.

 

“I think i know what to do now.” Wonwoo said as he tried to catch his breath. Jun smiled at him.   
“But i need to write a story first.” Wonwoo said as he stood up and left a mildly confused Jun standing in the dining room with plate of half eaten fried rice in front of him. 

 

So Wonwoo started writing. He wrote about one of the most beautiful and tragic love stories he’s ever known. 

 

He wrote about Icarus and the love around him. 

He wrote about Icarus’s love for the Sun. How bright and alive and also blinding. Blinding to the point where he couldn’t see the love that was all around him as he flew towards freedom.   
  


He wrote about Eurus’ love for Icarus, for it was the easterly winds, that brought warmth and rains, that had carried him and his wings towards freedom.

He wrote about Atlas’ love for Icarus, for it was the titan’s strength that lifted the sky the he flew innocently through, the sky that had given him joy and light.

He wrote about Gelos’ love for Icarus, for it was the god of laughter and emotional honesty that had him shouting for joy and laughter as he soared through the clouds and into the bright sky.

And he wrote about Daedalus’ love for Icarus, for it was him and his hands that made the wings on Icarus’ shoulders, the wings which gave Icarus the chance to fly to his love.

 

But Icarus took their love and Icarus took their love for granted. 

He blamed the sun for melting the wax that held his wings together, 

he blamed Eurus for not drifting him off to safety as he plunged to the sea,

he blamed Atlas for not using his strength to lift the sky higher to lengthen his fall,

he blamed Gelos for giving him laughter and joy just moments before his tragic death,

And he blames Daedalus for giving him wings in the first place, for giving him hope, for giving him a chance to love.

 

And Icarus belatedly realized his wrongs and his mistakes as he lay motionless in the sea, feeling all the love around him disappear into the sea breeze.

 

\------------------

 

Wonwoo stood awkwardly in front of his professors desk as he read through Wonwoo’s story. He was now on the final page and Wonwoo could feel his heart pulse in his neck. His professor then looked up at Wonwoo after finishing the story and placed his story back to his folder and filed it in one of his desk drawers. He then brought out his laptop out of his bag and started typing something. Wonwoo felt himself tense up.   
“I told you to write me a short story. All of it coming from you. The plot, the setting, everything.” His professor said as he stood up to turn on the printer beside his desk. Wonwoo gulped.

“I asked you for a short story and you gave me a fanfiction of one of greek mythology’s most known story.” Wownoo heard the printer start printing as his professor closed his laptop and stare at Wonwoo.

 

“But it was also raw. And new. You took that story and saw parts of it i didn’t even think was there and gave it life. Gave it a different purpose and giving it a meaning of sorts.” Wonwoo looked at his professor and his professor smiled.   
  
“And these people at the end. Are they your friends?” his professor asked. Wonwoo recalled the list of names at the bottom of the last page and smiled.   
“I’m hoping that they still are.” Wonwoo said. His professor then took the printed paper out and faced it towards Wonwoo.   
“With your permission, i’d like to publish your story in the university paper for this week’s issue.” Wonwoo looked at the paper between them and saw a contract, a contract stating that the story is his and not the property of the paper.   
Wonwoo smiled, signed and stood up to leave.   
“And mr. Jeon.” his professor called out. “Icarus had feet long before he has had the joy of flight. Maybe try to make him recall that.” his professor said, smiling. Wonwoo nodded and headed towards the one place he knew he has to go.   
  


  
It took Wonwoo half an hour to walk from their university but he still felt jittery as he stood in front of an unfamiliar door of a dorm room. The door opened and Wonwoo smiled and waved at Soonyoung.   
“Oh, hey. Jihoon’s inside let me-” “ No wait!” Wonwoo said a bit louder than he should. He felt embarrassed just standing there but he has to get it over with. He took a deep breath and started talking.   
“I’m sorry. Im sorry for how i’ve been towards you. I really think you’re perfect for Jihoon. I think you guys are perfect for each other, really. And i know i’ve been sarcastic and mean and insufferable most of the times but-” “All the time.” Soonyoung interjected, smiling at how Wonwoo’s scrambling for words. Wonwoo laughs.

“Okay. All the time. But, yeah. I’m just- it’s just how i am, or how i was.” Wonwoo smiled.

“I promise i won’t be a dick anymore.” Wonwoo finished. He was a bit out of breath. He saw Soonyoung look at him with a weird look.  

“Okay. Can i get a hug then?” Soonyoung said as he lifted his hands. Wonwoo looked at him incredulously and laughed nervously. He internally panicked and admitted defeat.

“Uhm, yeah. Sure.” Wonwoo said. He lifted his hands as well and let Soonyoung grip at his torso tightly as he awkwardly patted Soonyoung's back. Wonwoo then heard someone laugh from behind the door and Jihoon stepped outside.   
“Okay. if you’re willingly hugging a human being then you most certainly have hit rock bottom.” Jihoon said. He was wearing a t-shirt that’s a few sizes too big on him that makes it seem like he wasn’t wearing shorts underneath it.   
“He’s nice to hug. Kinda bony but warm.” Soonyoung said from over Wonwoo’s shoulder and Jihoon laughed.   
“Babe, get off. I think he’s about to combust if you continue touching him.” Jihoon teased. Wonwoo laughed a bit as Soonyoung pulled back and went inside, calling out that he’s gonna pack Jihoon’s bag.   
“I’ll see you home later then?” Wonwoo asked. Jihoon looked at him weird.   
“Where are you going?” Jihoon asked. Wonwoo smiled.   
“You know. Just somewhere. If you’re making dinner make sure it can feed six people!” Wonwoo called out as he ran down the hallway. He heard Jihoon complain about being their housekeeper but Wonwoo doesn’t hear any bite to it which made him smile even wider.

An hour after leaving Soonyoung’s dorm and running around the university and the mall, Wonwoo finally stopped at the diner and saw a familiar face at the furthest table from the door. Wonwoo went in and walked quietly towards his table and sat across him. Kun looked up from his phone, still sipping at his milkshake, looked at Wonwoo and then looked back down to his phone again. Wonwoo sighed and rubbed his sweaty palms on his jeans.   
  
“Hey.” Wonwoo said. Kun looked up again and looked back down on his phone. Not saying a word.   
“So, uh, how’ve you been?” Wonwoo tried again. This time Kun sat up straight and pocketed his phone, looking straight at Wonwoo’s eyes.   
“Cut the crap Wonwoo. Do you want anything? Need anything?” Kun asked. Wonwoo can’t say he doesn’t deserve the harsh tone of Kun’s voice but he can’t say he wasn’t startled by it. Wonwoo looked at him with wide eyes, not knowing how to answer back. Kun rolled his eyes.   
“If you don’t need anything from me you can go back to your boyfriend now.” Kun seethed. Wonwoo felt something squeeze his heart.   
“Do you think i only talk to you when i need something from you?” Wonwoo asked, clearly hurt by what Kun was implying. Kun then laughed bitterly.   
“Have you been with yourself lately? You don’t even talk to me when you do need me.” Kun said bitterly. Wonwoo lowered his head at that, shame and guilt eating him up from the inside.   
“So if we’re done here, i’d appreciate it if you can run along to your little boyfriend and leave me the fuck alone.” Kun said.   
“I doubt Mingyu’s gonna want to see me considering that he did this to me.” Wonwoo said, pointing at his face. Kun gave another humorless laugh.   
“I’m not talking about him, idiot. Go back to your perfect little study buddy and leave me alone.” Kun said. He grabbed for his bag and stood up. He was halfway to the door when Wonwoo caught on what he meant.   
“Wait- Taeyong? You think i’m with-” “I don’t know what to think!” Kun yelled at Wonwoo’s face. Wonwoo can feel eyes gravitating towards him and Kun as they make a scene.

“A few weeks ago Taeyong and his little entourage would pick on you and you’d ignore them like it was nothing and now i see you two hanging out when you keep telling me you’re busy teaching someone!” Kun yelled and made his way out of the diner. Wonwoo had to run up to follow him out in the streets.    
“I was! I was teaching him! I’ve been tutoring him since-” “Oh, bullshit. You know Wonwoo, you can lie to the rest of them but you can’t fool me. Talk to me when you finally have your act straightened out. Or at least make a better story up, you’re obviously great at that.” Kun said as he stalked away. Wonwoo stood in front of the diner, frozen. He knew he fucked up but he didn’t think he fucked up this bad. He sat by the sidewalk and watched the sky turn from a bright light orange to a deep shade of blue and then decided to just head home.    
  


And just like that everything’s back to normal.

 

Well, as normal as it could be considering the aftermath of Wonwoo’s ordeal.

 

Wonwoo still sees Kun in his classes but always at the furthest possible seat from Wonwoo.

He sees Taeyong around the university as well but now he strode the hallways alone, Ten and Doyoung walking together everywhere as if they weren’t missing one part of their group.   
  
And lunch was just as weird.

  
Their lunch table now consists of him, Jihoon, Soonyoung, Jun, Minghao, and Minghao’s roommate Seokmin. And the group’s seating pattern always ended up with Seokmin and Wonwoo seating next to each other which had made Wonwoo know Seokmin more. He was as loud as Soonyoung but less annoying and more endearing. And on the friday before their university fair, Seokmin had accidentally grabbed for Wonwoo’s phone and groaned as he saw the wallpaper.   
“Okay. Real funny Hao. When did you change my wallpaper, you dick.” Seokmin said as he tried to unlock Wonwoo’s phone.   
“Uhm, he didn’t. That’s my phone, Einstein. Give it.” Wonwoo said, laughing. The rest of the table laughed but Seokmin was looking at the phone confused.   
“Wait, how do you have this picture of Gyu?” Seokmin asked and Wonwoo froze.   
“You know Mingyu?” Jun asked, his voice rising a bit as he looked at Seokmin.   
“Yeah, we- Wait… You’re him?” Minghao asked out loud. Wonwoo realized belatedly that the question was directed towards him.   
“I’m who?” Wonwoo asked, clearly confused. But then Seokmin stood up and cheered as Minghao stood up to hug Seokmin from behind.   
“Okay. If no one explains shit right now someone’s ass is gonna know what it feels like to have a foot in it.” Jihoon said coldly. Minghao tried to dial back his laughter as Seokmin cleared his throat.   
“Nothing. Uhm. We have to go. Don’t wanna be late for class.” Seokmin said as he grabbed for his phone and gave Wonwoo back his. Minghao gabbed for his bag as well and kissed Jun in the cheek before Seokmin started dragging him out of the cafeteria. 

“It’s like, twelve thirty. Both of them don’t have classes till later this afternoon.” Soonyoung said, checking the time in his watch. Everyone’s eyes were now on jun who was looking back at the door where the two disappeared to. He turned around and saw the attention on him.   
“Look, i have no idea what that was.” Jun said, raising his hands up in defense and Jihoon and Wonwoo exchanged looks.   
  
Wonwoo didn’t know what the other two were up to until sunday that week.

 

The saturday before that, the university fair was all set up and ready for the week. And Wonwoo can’t wait to binge watch all of his bookmarked netflix shows while his friends waste their money on highly concentrated and flavored sugar and artificial preservatives on a stick. Soonyoung gave him another hug penalty for his sourness which Wonwoo defeatedly accepted.

The idea came from Jun who threw a fit for not seeing Wonwoo willingly accept a hug from a person. 

Saturday came and Wonwoo was standing on their kitchen as he sees his friends prepare. Jun was on his phone probably texting Minghao as Soonyoung rushes Jihoon and tells him he’s cute no matter what he wears.   
Wonwoo fake gagged and Soonyoung threatened him with a hug. Wonwoo asked for a raincheck.   
  
“Okay. They’re here.” Jun said. He stood up and went to open the door and in came Minghao and Seokmin who both looked at Wonwoo with a frown.   
“You gonna wear that to a fair? Isn’t that a bit too, i don’t know, revealing?” Seokmin said. Wonwoo laughed as they looked at his extra large shirt that hung off on of his shoulders and his Starwars boxer shorts. 

“Nice boxers, though.” Minghao added.   
“Wonwoo? In a fair? Sure, maybe he can ride the unicorn there and blast off into Narnia.” Jihoon said as he emerged from his room. Jun and Soonyoung laughed as Seokmin and Minghao looked at the rest of them with a dumbstruck look.   
“It means me going to a crowded place at night is as impossible as his other references.” Wonwoo explained. He grabbed for his stash of chips he was saving for him and Kun and made his way towards the door as they piled up outside. He hears Seokmin and Minghao bickering by the door and smiles as they start piling out of the house.   
“Bye kids. Have a great night! And don’t forget to use protection!” Wonwoo screamed out loud which made the other people walking towards their university to look at the odd group of guys looking at Wonwoo.   
Wonwoo said his goodbye again and locked the front door and went to his room. Setting up his laptop on his bed and placing his chips on the side of his bed so he won’t have to stand up to get them later. But before he could press play he heard their doorbell ring. He groaned and got up. He headed for the door, not bothering to look through the peephole considering it’d just be Jun forgetting something again. He opened the door and there stood Kun in a pair of sweatpants, a white t-shirt, and a long coat, with a backpack slung over his shoulder.   
  


“Hey.” Kun said, sounding a bit unsure.   
“Hey.” Wonwoo said back.   
“Nice boxers.” Kun laughed and Wonwoo laughed along, looking at the little Yoda’s in his boxers.   
“I was wondering if the netflix and chill Bro-ffer was still up.” Kun said, smiling. Wonwoo smiled at him.   
“I literally have a backpack half filled with McDonald’s fries, so it would be stupid to kick me out.” Kun jokes. Wonwoo sighed.   
“Well, it’d be a shame to waste that much fries.” Wonwoo said and opened the door for Kun to get in. But Kun had hugged Wonwoo as he passed him by. 

Wonwoo was a bit taken by surprise but had let the hug happen. He hugged Kun back the best that he could.   
“I read your story.” Kun said. Wonwoo let out a deep breath and closed the door without pulling away from Kun’s hug.   
“You’re such an idiot, you know that.” Wonwoo laughed and playfully hit Kun’s back.   
“You’re one too! You even kept pushing me towards Taeyong.” Wonwoo joked and was a bit taken back when Kun pulled away and looked at him seriously.   
“You don’t- you really aren’t a thing? You two?” Kun asked.    
Wonwoo sighed and asked Kun if he wanted the story or if he wanted to watch netflix. Cause either of the two will take up the whole night. Kun smiled and brought out the fries from his bag as Wonwoo told him everything that happened.   
  


Wonwoo told Kun of his and Taeyong’s tutor sessions and his growing fondness of the younger guys in his house. Wonwoo told Kun how it felt talking to Mingyu for days and never having too little to talk about. Wonwoo told Kun about his first kiss. Wonwoo told Kun everything up to their supposed double date which he admitted that he ditched Kun to go to. And two hours into the story, as Wonwoo was trying to calm his breathing and to try and control the shaking in his voice as he explained to Kun everything, he felt a painful smack at the back of his head and stared wild eyed at a frowning Kun.

 

“I have a lot to say so i’ll say them one by one.” Kun said as he lied back down and stared at Wonwoo’s room’s ceiling. Wonwoo sagged where he was seated on top of the bed and decided to follow Kun’s lead and lie back down himself besides Kun.

“About the first kiss thing. You honestly could’ve asked me.” Kun said. Wonwoo’s face flushed for some reason and Wonwoo lied on his side, his back to Kun, as he replied.   
“Yeah, i know. I just thought there was a lot at stake. Like, the way Taeyong explained it was fucking terrifying.” Wonwoo defended. He heard Kun laugh from behind him.

“You wouldn't have to worry about me falling for you, honestly. You're not THAT attractive, you know.” Wonwoo punched Kun in the arm with that as they both laugh.   
“Fine. Okay, next one.” Kun said, Wonwoo felt Kun sit up and pull Wonwoo by shoulder’s to make the other look him in the face.

“You’re not, like- you didn’t maybe ended up liking Taeyong, by any chance, did you?” Kun asked. Wonwoo’s eyes widened at the accusation and laughed bitterly.   
“Look, i thought we were at least good friends, but i don’t think i can ever fall for him. Specially now.” Wonwoo said, his voice going bitter at the end of his sentence and Kun looked at him sympathetically. Wonwoo rolled his eyes.

“Okay. i get it. But answer me this, though.” Kun said as he stared down at Wonwoo.

“You know he like, ditched Ten and Doyoung for you, right?” Wonwoo didn’t know that. He knew he wasn’t in good terms with them now but he didn’t think it’d be because of him. Kun continued.    
“Don’t you think Taeyong might have started liking you? And it seems like you’re more hurt at the fact that he betrayed you than the fact that Mingyu punched you.” Kun said. Wonwoo stared back up at him and said nothing. Kun nodded and stood up. He took Wonwoo’s laptop from his desk and placed it on top of his lap as he sat back down and went on and played a movie Wonwoo couldn’t focus on. His mind was racing and his heart felt like it was running a hundred miles an hour. An hour or so through the movie, Wonwoo fell asleep with soft snores and troubled thoughts. He was so deep in his sleep that he didn’t hear the commotion outside his door as his roommates and some other people bursts into their house.

 

Wonwoo woke up feeling a bit lightheaded and warmer than usual. He tried to sit up and saw the reason for his slightly warmer situation. Kun’s legs were wrapped around Wonwoo’s and his right arm was draped over Wonwoo’s stomach. Wonwoo groaned and pushed Kun away from him as he got up from his bed. Kun groaned and threw a pillow at Wonwoo’s general direction and missing Wonwoo by a foot.    
“Get off my bed if you’re gonna start assaulting me with my pillows.” Wonwoo said. Kun groaned out a barely comprehensible response which Wonwoo ignored as he trudged on outside.

 

The familiar sound of pans scratching the stove and coffee boiling in the coffee machine brought a smile to Wonwoo’s face. He saw Jihoon and Jun behind the stove as Soonyoung stare blankly ahead with a smile on his face from where he’s seated on the dining ttable. Seokmin was snoring loudly on their couch and if Wonwoo had to guess, minghao would still be dozing off in Jun's bed.   
“What’s up with him?” Wonwoo asked after greeting the other two good morning. Wonwoo made his way to the coffee pot and saw Jun smirking as he faced Wonwoo.   
“I think Jihoon pumped his brains out of his dick last night.” Jun said. Wonwoo grimaced at the image as Jihoon slapped Jun’s neck with a spoon, looking a bit red.   
“Damn.” Wonwoo said as he took a sip of his face and looked over at Soonyoung.   
“It’s always the quiet ones, am i right?” Wonwoo teased and Jun laughed as Wonwoo felt a sharp thud at the back of his head right before a spoon dropped on the counter behind him. He held his hand up to hi-five Soonyoung which Soonyoung obliged, still staring at nothing with a satisfied grin on his face. Wonwoo took a seat beside Soonyoung and laughed.   
“You look like you’re so at peace right now.” Wonwoo joked and Soonyoung sighed a deep and contented kind of sigh.   
“You have no idea how spent i am right now.” Soonyoung said, Wonwoo laughed at Soonyoung’s drunk like manner and laughed harder when Jihoon spoke up.   
“You keep on this topic for one more sentence and you’re gonna have to settle for you hand for a month.” Jihoon threatened and Soonyoung’s face shattered. Jun and Wonwoo laughed out loud as a half asleep Kun walked out of Wonwoo’s room the same time Seokmin trudged in the dining room and plopped down on the seat next to Wonwoo and leaned his head on the ender's shoulder..   
“What are you guys talking about?” Kun asked as he took the seat beside Soonyoung and took a sip of Wonwoo's coffee.   
“Soonyoung’s orgasm face being stuck since Jihoon short circuited his brain.” Jun said and Wonwoo snickered. Kun’s face split into a grin as he laughed along.   
“That good? How many times did you guys go at it?” Kun asked, completely oblivious the the projectile spoon aimed at his head.

 

\--------

 

“You want my boyfriend’s number?” Jun repeated back to Wonwoo and Wonwoo nodded.

Jun had suggested to go grocery shopping and Wonwoo volunteered to help which made all four of them stare at Wonwoo. Wonwoo rolled his eyes and changed and hopped on Jun’s car.

“You’re not gonna start catfishing me and steal him from me, are you?” Jun teased and Wonwoo fake laughed.   
“I know they know Mingyu. I wanna talk to him.” Jun looked at Wonwoo, surprised, and smiled.   
“Good. Here.” Jun gave Wonwoo his phone and asked the other to look for ‘honey dumplings’ in his contacts.    
Wonwoo grimaced and Jun grinned. He quickly saved his number in his phone and immediately started his message. He and Minghao kept texting back and forth and finally stopped when Jun was parking his car in front of the grocery store they always go to.   
“You don’t need to go with me, you know.” Jun said as he waited for Wonwoo to step out before locking the doors. Wonwoo smiled.   
“I know. I just want to. Now let’s go and conquer this bitch.” Wonwoo said and Jun laughed. They spent almost ten minutes in each isles as Wonwoo kept asking why Jun was picking ‘this’ specific brand over ‘that’ and Jun answering that it was what Jihoon instructed him to buy. Wonwoo argued and eventually admitted defeat as Jun just kept grabbing for what was on Jihoon’s list regardless of Wonwoo’s persuasive reasoning. And when Wonwoo was done with placing the paper bags inside the trunk of Jun’s car, Jun smiled at him.   
“Well. I don’t need your help going home.” Jun said. Wonwoo got what Jun meant and smiled. Wonwoo headed for the bus stop by the corner of the grocery store and waited for the next bus. He kept looking at the time on his phone to see how long till the bus arrives and after the third time he just ended up looking at the picture saved as his wallpaper. 

  
  


An hour and a half later, Wonwoo is standing in front of the dorm building that was in the address that Minghao gave and Wonwoo felt like he was drowning.

 

‘You can do this. Come on. I know last time he saw you he punched you in the face and told you to basically fuck off, but-’   
  


Wonwoo’s thoughts were cut off as a familiar face emerged from the dorm gates and into the pathwalk where Wonwoo was standing frozen. Wonwoo thought about making a run for it while he was still on his phone but he looked up from his phone and looked straight into Wonwoo’s eyes. Wonwoo gulped as he saw Mingyu’s jaw tighten. 

‘Oh, God. please no more punching.’ Wonwoo silently prayed. He saw Mingyu completely frozen as well so he decided that maybe he needed to do the first move.

 

“Hey.” Wonwoo said. Mingyu shook his head a bit, like trying to wake himself up, and responded.   
“Hey.” Mingyu said. Smiling.   
‘That’s good. Smiling’s good.’ Wonwoo thought. He took a deep breath and started rewinding the words he practice the whole hour and a half on the way here.

“Uhm, do you live here?” Wonwoo asked. Mingyu looked confused a bit and nodded.   
“Uhm can i ask you about someone, i’m not sure if he lives here but someone told he does.” Wonwoo said, the confusion in Mingyu’s face settling deeper and deeper.

“Uhm, okay?” Mingyu said, humoring Wonwoo. 

“Do you know what he looks like.?” Mingyu asked. Wonwoo smiled and shook his head no.   
“I do but i know his personality better than his face.” Wonwoo said and Mingyu looked at him with wide eyes.

“Well, he’s really nice, and awfully sweet. I honestly would not think he’d be a quarterback if he hadn’t gushed to me about how beautiful football was.” Wonwoo said, he saw Mingyu trying to hide his smile and he continued.

“The truth is he’s kinda lame. Dorky, even. And his joke are just awful.” Wonwoo said, taking in Mingyu’s sort of annoyed smile sa he went on.   
“He’s also kind of a Sci-fi nerd, but he hides it all too well with his jock-like forcefield. And he also have the most amazing laugh i know.” Wonwoo said, feeling a bit out of breath as he finished. Mingyu was looking right into his eyes as he tried to calm his breathing.   
“I kinda like him. Like, a lot, actually. Only i think i fucked up so i’m not sure he’d want to see me but do you know anyone here like that?” Wonwoo asked. Mingyu looked dumbstruck for a moment and then held his chin in his hand and made a show by making it look like he was thinking hard.   
“Kind of familiar. Yeah…” Mingyu trailed off, he then walked towards Wonwoo and Wonwoo stood frozen as Mingyu was standing a step away from him.   
“Does he go around punching cute boys in parking lots, this friend of yours?” Mingyu asked. Wonwoo felt his face heat up.

“Well not really, i mean he punched a-” “A really cute boy back then. I know. Kind of a dick move, if you ask me.” Mingyu cut him off, his voice growing softer.    
“Well,” Wonwoo said, “the other guy had it coming. I heard he was a bit of an ass.” Wonwoo said. Mingyu chuckled.

“Nah. I mean, yeah, he kind of was.” Wonwoo dropped his gaze to Mingyu’s shoes. “But your friend should’ve at least tried to hear them out, you know.” Mingyu said, Wonwoo took a deep breath and tried his best to keep himself from crying.   
“Gyu,” Wonwoo’s voice broke and his hands were shaking. “I’m sorry. For everything.” Wonwoo said. He then feels rather than see Mingyu taking the final step towards Wonwoo and Wonwoo felt hands taking his and squeezing them.    
“I know.” Mingyu said, he let go of Wonwoo’s left hand as he gently held up Wonwoo’s chin. 

“And I’m sorry for punching you in the face.” Mingyu said softly. Mingyu was looking directly at Wonwoo’s eyes and Wonwoo felt like crying.   
“You look like you’re about to cry.” Mingyu said. Wonwoo laughed quietly at that and a few tears fell down as he did.   
“I like your eyes.” Mingyu said. He then kissed the side of Wonwoo’s right eye.

“And your nose.” Mingyu said as he proceeded to kiss Wonwoo’s still slightly bruised nose. Wonwoo cringed a bit at the sensation but didn’t say a word.   
“And i like your lips.” Mingyu said, looking at Wonwoo’s lips and back up to his eyes, as if asking for permission. Wonwoo tilted his head higher and closed his eyes as he felt a pair of soft and warm lips on his. Full lips gently on his and Wonwoo doing his best not to melt right then and there as he felt Mingyu let go of his hand to move it on his back to press Wonwoo closer to him as his right hand cradled Wonwoo’s face ever so gently. Wonwoo didn't know what to do with his hands till they finally found their way around Mingyu’s neck. Mingyu pulled back gently and Wonwoo could feel his breath fanning over his face.

“Who were you looking for again?” Mingyu asked and Wonwoo rolled his eyes and hid his face in the crook of Mingyu’s neck. Mingyu wrapped his arms around Wonwoo’s waist and took a deep breath.

“Mingyu. I didn’t…” Wonwoo started but Mingyu cut him off.   
“I like you. And i honestly still do not get why you did the things you did but he told me you’d come here eventually and-” “Wait.” Wonwoo cut Mingyu off and pulled off from their hug. 

“Who told you i’d come here? Did Minghao sell me out? That little-” “What? No. Taeyong. He came here a couple of days ago. He showed me your story and uh…” Mingyu trailed off and took Wonwoo’s hand in his again.    
“He argued a lot about the why you did the whole thing and then kept on lecturing me about existentialism and phenomenology and that i’d never understand you the way that- um the way that he does.” Mingyu said, Wonwoo looked at him confused and Mingyu carried on.   
“And before he left he told me that if i ever make you cry i’d have to answer to at least eight men. And that if i’m having a difficult time liking you,” Mingyu paused and look at Wonwoo's eyes, “I could just ask him to teach me.” Mingyu said looking into Wonwoo’s eyes and Wonwoo felt his brain go into overdrive again. 

 

His mind went to Taeyong making him eat with his family, Taeyong taking Wonwoo to a party and arguing with Ten and Doyoung because of it, Taeyong’s face when Mingyu didn’t recognize Wonwoo’s voice.    
  
Taeyong’s voice when he pulled on Wonwoo’s wrist. 

‘This ends tonight. I can’t take this anymore’

‘I can’t take this anymore.’

 

“Fuck.” Wonwoo said out loud. Mingyu chuckled at Wonwoo’s dumbstruck face and asked him if he wanted to come inside. Wonwoo nodded yes but as Mingyu was walking towards the gate again with Wonwoo’s hand in tow, Wonwoo’s mind went back to the calendar by Taeyong’s door and he hurriedly checked his phone for the time. 

6:48 PM

“Fuck. Wait, Gyu. I need to go to the showcase tonight. You said you knew Taeyong because your friends are also in the showcase right?” Wonwoo said frantically. Mingyu checked the time in his phone as well and nodded.   
“Yeah, Minghao’s part of the team from our uni. Didn’t he tell you?” Mingyu said. Wonwoo groaned and started dialing up a number on his phone. It rang twice before the person picked up.   
“Yo. how’d it go with prince charming?” Jun’s voice spilled out and Wonwoo was too annoyed to feel embarrassed by the fact that Mingyu heard Wonwoo’s friend refer to him as ‘prince charming’.

“Tell you boyfriend to enjoy his fucking performance.” Wonwoo seethed as he dragged Mingyu to the bus stop.   
“Oh okay. I didn’t know you knew-” “Good. Tell him enjoy it as much as he can cause it’ll be his last one. I’ll wring his legs up his head and braid his fingers together.” Wonwoo said and didn’t hear Jun’s confused voice as he ended the call abruptly. He was still dragging Mingyu by the hand when Mingyu twisted his wrist and grabbed hold of Wonwoo’s hand instead.    
“I know this is like, only the second time we met,” Mingyu said, pacing his stride to match Wonwoo’s, “ but you look hot when you’re mad.” Wonwoo was a bit taken back by what Mingyu said and stared in disbelief at Mingyu who smiled brightly at him. Wonwoo took a deep breath and squeezed Mingyu’s hand.   
Wonwoo made a disgusted face at the gesture but was swooning on the inside.

So you can imagine the torture Wonwoo had the whole hour and a half they spent in the bus on the way to the showcase. 

 

Two hours passed, thanks to a very convenient road renovation on the way to the studio, and Wonwoo is dragging Mingyu along the side of the building instead of going in the main entrance.

“Uh, Wonwoo? The entrance is that way, i think.” Mingyu said. Wonwoo ignored him and walked on to the back entrance. Wonwoo headed inside as fast as possible but was held up by a guard that wasn’t here when Wonwoo and Taeyong went here a week ago.

“Names?” the guard asked. Mingyu smiled awkwardly at the guard and Wonwoo was contemplating kneeing the guard in the balls and making a run for it inside. But it turns out Wonwoo didn’t need to. 

“Uh, Wonwoo? Jeon Wonwoo.” Mingyu said, Wonwoo whipped his head towards Mingyu and Mingyu held up his hand in defense. Wonwoo was about to drag Mingyu outside when the guard suddenly stepped aside.   
“His room is at the end of the hall.” The guard said. Wonwoo stared in disbelief as Mingyu thanked the guard and grabbed for Wonwoo’s hand and dragged him along inside with a smug look on his face.

“I had that under control.” Wonwoo said. Mingyu snorted.”   
“Sure you did.” Mingyu said. Wonwoo noted that his blushing was not because of Mingyu’s hand on his but because of the almost embarrassing encounter with the security guard.

 

They reached the end of the hall and Mingyu turned around and looked at Wonwoo expectantly.    
“Uhm. i have a slight idea of why we’re here, but i just wanted to tell you that i’m glad i met you. Regardless of the whole mess it made.” Mingyu laughed. He grabbed both of Wonwoo’s hands in his and looked down on their hands.   
“And whatever you choose, i just want you to know that i do like you. Like, you you. The one who i was talking to and the one who i was texting. The one i got to know. The who got to know me.” Mingyu looked up to Wonwoo with a sad smile on his face and he’s slightly shocked at the annoyed face Wonwoo had on.   
“You done?” Wonwoo asked. Mingyu looked stunned and then nodded his head. Wonwoo shook his head and smiled. He then let go of Mingyu’s hands and pulled him down for a quick kiss.   
“I’m not ‘choosing’ someone over the other. I like you. I had hoped that was obvious enough given that i went through a lot of shit to get you.” Wonwoo laughed. Mingyu let out a relieved sigh and hugged Wonwoo.   
“I’m just here to maybe get my friend back.” Wonwoo said. Mingyu pulled back and kissed Wonwoo quick on the lips. 

“No you’re not. You didn’t come to me to win me back. You came to me to apologize.” Mingyu said. Wonwoo was taken back by that and before he could even start to explain himself Mingyu hugged him.

“I really like you Won. I know you don’t like me the way I like you but i don’t want to lose you. We can stay as friends.” Wonwoo stayed still for a while before Mingyu pulled back and Wonwoo sees him teary eyed.

“Gyu...” Mingyu smiled at him and Wonwoo felt his heart break at the sight. “Now stop kissing me because I'll take all that I can get and I'm not gonna say no to it.”  Mingyu then started pushing him towards the door as he wipes his face. Wonwoo faced the door and took a deep breath before turning the knob and stepping inside.   
  


  
Wonwoo didn’t know what to expect as soon as he stepped inside of Taeyong’s dressing room but he was definitely not prepared to have seven pairs of eyes boring through his skull. He then cleared his throat and closed the door behind him.

“Hey.” Wonwoo said.

Jaemin and Donghyuck ran to him as soon as he spoke up and Wonwoo can’t help the smile on his face. They were seated at the couch on the left side of the room with Renjun and Jeno who were smiling up at Wonwoo.   
“What the hell do you want?” Doyoung asked from the end of the room. He was standing on Taeyong’s right as Ten looked like he was putting makeup on Taeyong from the other side of Taeyong’s chair. 

“Cut it out, Doyoung.” Ten said. Doyoung huffed and made sure to let everyone know that he’s annoyed.

“How did he even get in here?” Doyoung asked. Ten stood straight, smiling at his work, and started packing up various brushes that were all over the table in front of Taeyong.   
“I added him on the list.” Ten said. Taeyong’s head then whipped over at Ten’s direction and grabbed Ten’s arm. Ten then looked down at Taeyong and smiled. 

 

“Alright. You gremlins are coming with me. Come on.” Ten said as he rounded up Jaemin and the rest out of the room. Doyoung went up to Wonwoo’s face and glared at him.

“The two of us are gonna have words.” Doyoung said. Wonwoo chuckled. 

“Yeah, well,” Wonwoo looked up at the mirror in front of Taeyong and saw him staring back, “get in line.” Wonwoo finished. Doyoung huffed out in irritation and Ten pulled him out along with the kids. Wonwoo can hear Donghyuck’s voice as he greets Mingyu outside. Wonwoo hears Ten invite him along and hears Jeno ask him how it feels to be so attractive that he made lots of guys cry. Wonwoo laughs a little as the door closes behind him and looked up at the elder who was looking down at his phone.

 

Wonwoo grabbed a chair and pulled it up beside Taeyong. But instead of sitting properly he sat down with his back to the mirror in front of Taeyong, his arms folding on top of the chairs backrest as he feels Taeyong look at him in his peripheral vision.

 

“So…” Wonwoo started. Taeyong cleared his throat and sat up straighter.

“Was… was that Mingyu with you? Outside?” Taeyong asked. Wonwoo can’t help the smirk plastered in his face as Taeyong tries to ask as subtly as he can.

“Yeah. I apologized to him about the whole catfishing thing and he says he understands.” Taeyong hummed in response and Wonwoo is really enjoying seeing the elder get jealous.

“Yeah, I wish I could just go out with him.” Wonwoo said and that got Taeyong’s attention.

“What? What does that mean? Did he turn you down? That little bitch, i should’ve-” “Nah, i turned him down.” That shut Taeyong up. 

 

“You what?” Wonwoo smiles as he looks right at Taeyong’s face. 

“I turned him down. I mean, i like him a lot but I think i’ll never like him like that.” Taeyong was still staring at him in disbelief and Wonwoo can’t help but smile wider.

“Besides, i think he needs more pointers on how to, like, properly like me. Do you know anyone who can tutor him?” Taeyong’s make up couldn’t cover up the way his cheeks colored gradually as he realized what the younger had said.

“You’re an ass.” Taeyong said and Wonwoo laughed. Wonwoo then grabbed for Taeyongs hand and intertwined their fingers as Taeyong looked away from him. 

“You should’ve just told me.” Wonwoo said. He can feel Taeyong squeezing his hands and Wonwoo brought their hands up and kissed Taeyong’s knuckles gently.

“Well i didn’t exactly plan this, y’know. It would’ve been better if i did fall for Mingyu.” Taeyong said and Wonwoo laughed. 

“Yeah, sorry about that too. And to be honest, a friend of mine made me realize that i was more hurt with the fact that you kind of betrayed me rather than the fact that i might’ve lost Mingyu.” Taeyong looked back at him with teary eyes now and Wonwoo smiles.

“Can we start over?” Wonwoo asked. 

“Can we do a do over and we can go back to being friends and then see where that goes?” Wonwoo asked. Taeyong smiled at him with teary eyes and shook his head no. 

 

Right.

Wonwoo shouldn’t have expected that everything would just fall into place now that he’s realized all the shit he had done. He cleared his throat and let go of Taeyong’s hand as he sat up properly.

“Yeah, no. Sorry. That was stupid. It’s stupid. Why would you even-” Wonwoo forced out a laugh and stood up. He could feel himself tearing up and he’d rather that Taeyong doesn’t see him like that. 

“Wait! That’s not-” Wonwoo heard the elder’s chair scoot back as he feels a hand grip his wrist.

“No no no no no. That’s not what i meant!” Taeyong pulled him back and Wonwoo saw him smiling and laughing a bit.

“Good god, we’re a mess. I meant i don’t want a do over. I want to just- I would like it if we just pick up where we left off.” Taeyong explained. Wonwoo let out a relieved sigh and started laughing too.

“I hate you, i thought you just rejected me. Oh my god…” Taeyong grabbed both of his hands and gave them a squeeze before looking up at Wonwoo. Glassed up eyes smiling back at him. Wonwoo smiled and feels his heart screaming in his chest as he pulls Taeyong by his hands and leans forward for a kiss. But Taeyong pulled back and smiled apologetically at the younger.

“As much as I want to make out right now, Ten would kill me if I ruined my make up.” Taeyong said and Wonwoo feigned annoyance. Taeyong rolled his eyes fondly and leaned in to kiss the side of Wonwoo's lips. Taeyong smiles proudly at the light lip stain left on Wonwoo's face and was about to take a picture of it in his phone when someone knocked on the door.

 

“Five minutes!” Someone yelled over the door and Taeyong smiles.

“Wanna watch me beat your friends?” Taeyong asked and Wonwoo quirked up an eyebrow.

“You're competing against Minghao right?” Taeyong nods as he leads them outside.

“Then hell yes. Please. Mop the floor with him, and everything. I wanna have bragging rights after this day.” Wonwoo said and both of them laugh as Taeyong drags him towards the main hall.

  
  
  
  


It was ten minutes before 3 AM when Wonwoo was startled awake by a loud thud somewhere in his room. He looks to his side and sees it empty, save for the sheets and a pillow. He then hears a very familiar groan from someone over the bed and can't help but snickers to himself as he crawls over and looks down at the sight of his boyfriend, clad in one of Wonwoo's boxers and sweater, groaning on the floor, he was lying face down on the floor.

“Would you hate me if I asked how much it hurt when you fell from heaven?” Wonwoo asked. His boyfriend then pushed himself up, kneeling by the bed and glaring at Wonwoo, clearly not amused by the joke.

“I'll personally drag you to hell if you spoke about this to anyone.” Taeyong threatened. Well, he tried. Wonwoo's boxers he was wearing was riding up his thighs, revealing some of the many hickies Wonwoo was proud to say was from him, and the sweater he has on falls off one shoulder and let's just say Wonwoo's thoughts alone can guarantee him a VIP pass through the gates of hell.

 

“You okay?” Wonwoo asks as he kicks off the sheets and brought his legs down the side of the bed. Taeyong groaned and crawled closer to bed and laid his head on Wonwoo's lap as he wraps his arms around Wonwoo's back.

“Kinda hungry.” Taeyong grumbled as Wonwoo threads his fingers through Taeyong's now deep black hair. He remembers the day Taeyong approached him at lunch with his newly dyed hair and him almost dropping his tray on the floor. He ended up toying with Taeyong's hair for the rest of lunch as their friends tried to ignore them.

“Come on. We can heat up some food Ji made.” Wonwoo suggested, pulling Taeyong up as the latter groaned.

“Aren't those for Kun?” Taeyong asked as he stood up.

“So you get food and annoy Kun.” Wonwoo stated. Wonwoo's eyesight is already shit and the darkness enveloping their room is not helping as well but he knows Taeyong's got that pretty and mischievous smile on.

“Perfect.” The elder said as Wonwoo dragged them out to the kitchen.

 

An hour and two microwavable tupperwares of spaghetti later and Wonwoo and Taeyong are bundled up on the sofa, both of then lying down with Wonwoo with his back pressed on the backrest as Taeyong was lying on his back. Taeyong using Wonwoo's right arm as a pillow as he plays with the fingers of his other hand. Their legs tangled up under their blanket and Wonwoo feels himself smile. 

“What?” Taeyong asked, he let go of Wonwoo's hand and turned, slotting his face under Wonwoo's chin and Wonwoo can feel his breath fanning over his neck. Wonwoo wrapped an arm around the others waist and pulled him closer closing his eyes as Taeyong's hands grip his shirt, a tell Wonwoo cracked a few nights ago that Taeyongs about to fall asleep. Wonwoo hums in response and let himself drift back to sleep.

 

The second time he wakes up that day, is also due to something loud startling him awake, and he is also waking up alone. He scans the living room floor to check if Taeyong had falling off again and sees nothing but their floor board. He hears a loud whirring noise coming from the kitchen and wraps the blanket around his shoulder as he trudged in the kitchen only to see chaos.

Jihoon was, for lack of a better word, aggressively tossing what seems like fried rice, Jun was washing pans on the sink, adding to the clinking noise Jihoon was already making from the pan hitting the stove, and Taeyong was in front of the blender, with his back to Wonwoo, as he and Soonyoung slice and peel various fruits and then adds them inside the pink goop in the blender. He was still in his sweater and boxers but not he had folded up the sleeves up to his elbows.

 

He walks as quietly as he could towards the elder and smiles victoriously as Taeyong let out a startled noise as he wrapped his arms around his waist under his sweater.

“Dont do that! I could've stabbed you!” Taeyong screeched and Wonwoo just laughs as he took a piece of sliced banana and munched on it. Soonyoung coos as Wonwoo propped his chin on Taeyong's shoulder as the elder went on with slicing, feeding Wonwoo a piece or two over his shoulder.

“You guys are so cute.” Soonyoung squeals and asked Jihoon why they arent that cute while cooking. Jihoon just gave him a blank stare.

“You disturb me while I'm cooking and you'll end up as our dinner.” Jihoon said. Jun laughed heartily at that and Soonyoung just turn back to peeling fruits, still smiling.

“He doesnt mean that.” Soonyoung says, more to Taeyong than anyone.

“You should listen to the songs he's written for me.” Taeyong smiles at Soonyoung and Soonyoung made a show of clearing his throat.

_ “I wanna be your morning baby _ __  
_ From now on, be alright _ __  
_ Spend it together, morning baby _ __  
_ I want you to be my night _ __  
_ Everything you think of _ __  
_ Will become all of me _ __  
_ Look at me and be my baby _ _  
_ __ You’re my twenties.”

Soonyoung sang, using a banana as an impromptu mic. Disregarding Sooyoung's excessive hand movements and banana mic, the song was really endearing. So, in the most Jihoon like fashion, a tupperware lid went flying over Soonyoung's head which made everyone laugh. Wonwoo notices Jihoon flushing a bit and smiles when Jun nudges him in his shoulder with a smile.

 

Eventually breakfast, or more like brunch now, was laid out on the table. Jihoon took a quick bath after cooking while the rest prepared the table and Jun suggested Taeyong to maybe wear something that'll cover down to his thighs, at least. Taeyong flushed at the comment and glared at Wonwoo as hi ripped of the blanket off his shoulder and wrapped it around his waist. Jun and Soonyoung snickers at that and Wonwoo feels like melting. “Its always the quiet ones, am I right?” Jun added and Wonwoo flushes up to his ears.

 

Everyone was seated now and properly dressed but Jihoon still wasn't serving the food.

“Ji, babe, I love you but please, im dying here.” Soonyoung said but he was shushed by Jihoon.

“Give it a minute.” Jihiin said and everyone waited for something. Until they all heard the knob on the front door wobble and open, Kun emerging from the outside and quickly discarding his jacket and backpack on the couch. Behind him Seokmin and Minghao follows, Jun standing up as soon as he sees his boyfriend and welcoming him with a hug.

“Sorry, I saw them on the way and Minghao decided to tag along.” Kun took the seat at the end of the table, opposite Jun, Taeyong on Jun's right and Wonwoo next to Taeyong. Soonyoung in front of Taeyong, on Jun's left, and Jihoon beside him. The problem tho is there's two more people and no more place in the table. 

 

Jihoon had finished playing everything he had cooked and Taeyong asked who would like some of the smoothie he and Soonyoung made. Seokmin sitting in between Kun and Wonwoo using Wonwoo's chair in his room and Minghao using Jun's, eating on his boyfriends left.

 

Wonwoo looks around and smiles. Kun and Jihoon talking about food and how Kun wanted to bake his dorm mates in a pie, Seokmin mumbling how no one hugged him welcome when they got in, Soonyoung, Minghao, and Taeyong talking about some dance or some choreographer as Jun feeds Minghao. He then feels Taeyong take his hand and leans in.

“Mingyu said arcade later. He and Jae will be there by five-ish.” Taeying whispered. Wonwoo nodded and saw a bit of ketchup at the side of Taeyong's lips and wiped it clean with his thumb. 

 

“Ugh. Gross.” Kun grumbled from his end of the table.

“Anyone else remembers when Wonwoo was appalled by any type of affection? Yeah, I kinda miss that.” Kun added and the rest of the room snickered. 

“You're just mad we dont have sleepover nights anymore.” Wonwoo said and Kun snorted.

“Damn right I am.” Kun said and Wonwoo laughs.

“You're the one who cancelled them!” Everyone was laughing at this point, even Jihoon.

“And don't put the blame on me, here.” Taeyong said before taking in a spoonful of fried rice. Kun looked at him, offended, and Wonwoo sighs.

“It si is your fault! I cant even go anywhere near inside his room anymore! I don't know if you guy had sex in there and exactly where!” Half the people eating groaned and you can hear utensils being dropped. The mention of sex rarely goes well with food so Wonwoo can understand why.

 

Jihoon then scolds Kun for bringing up the S word in front of food, Kun blames Taeyong for sabotaging his friend group's dynamic, Taeyong defends that he has nothing to do with anything at all and that Kun is just jealous that at least Wonwoo gets some action, and the bickering goes on from there. Wonwoo adding his input here and there, putting a hand over Taeyong's chest when Kun said something about his hair and Wonwoo was sure he was gonna pounce. Their brunch ended at around a few minutes after 11AM and Seokmin and Minghao stepped up to help with the dishes. Jihoon thanking then and saying it's nice to have someone show thanks like that, laughing as he sees Kun's offended face. 

 

Wonwoo was dragged back into his room by Taeyong as the elder asked for clothes he could borrow.

“What do I get in return?” Wonwoo asked. Taeyong looked at him with a quirked up brow and proceeded with untying the knot in the sweatpants he's wearing and letting them drop to his ankles. Wonwoo shamelessly stares at Taeyongs thighs, a few hickies peaking out from under the sweater. And then Taeyong stepped closer and tugged off the boxers he was wearing, they weren't doing much anyways as the sweater swallows then over his thighs.

“What do you want in return?” Taeyong asked, his hand over Wonwoo's chest. Wonwoo's hand goes towards the hem of the sweater, feeling Taeyong's smooth skin as he drags his hands up to his waist over the sweater. 

 

“What time did you say we have to meet Mingyu?” Wonwoo asked, leaning closer.

“Around five later.” Taeyong said, his breath ghosting over Wonwoo's lips. Wonwoo then smiles and had voiced out what they could do till then and Taeyong wasn't gonna say no. He really needed to borrow clothes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BOOM  
> Okay but I think some of yall saw this coming... but yeah TO THE MEANIE SHIPPERS READING THIS PLEASE IM SORRY BUT I HAD THIS PLANNED FROM THE BEGINNING BEC I REALLY THOUGHT THE MOVIE WOULDVE BEEN BETTER IF THE TWO MAIN CHATACTERS ENDED UP TOGETHER.
> 
> and I know I dont have to justify but it's because Taeyong and Wonwoo got to know each other better as they went along with the tutoring and the catfishing and all. 
> 
> But yeah  
> Thank YOU SOOOO MUCH for reading!! Please tell me what you think in the comments or yell at me on Twitter I'm @punk_assnerd!!
> 
> Again THANK YOU FOR READING I LOVE YOU ALL THANK YOU FOR THE SUPPORT <3

**Author's Note:**

> 2nd chapter will be posted before April I swear
> 
> I hope no one attacks me yet but if you DO want to comment down below or attack me on Twitter I'm @punk_assnerd 
> 
> Thank you for reading and stay tuned!!!


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